In this section we offer a few tips on how you can shop and live more responsibly towards our environment.
In the kitchen – choose organic
All our stores sell organic food. Shopping organically is good for you, nature and animal welfare. Cutting the levels of chemical pesticides in soil and water improves conditions for birds, insects and animals near the farms. It also means fewer toxins in groundwater and rivers. Organic production is governed by rules ensuring that animals on farms are allowed to practise their natural behaviours. Axfood has its own organic range of products under the Garant Ekologiska banner. These products do not contain any synthetic colourings, flavourings or sweeteners. Garant Ekologiska branded products offer high quality at a good price.
Washing and cleaning
Axfood’s stores carry numerous products to help you with eco-friendly cleaning.
Lighting – phasing out filament bulbs
Filament bulbs are being phased out within the EU, which is estimated to cut household electricity consumption by 10% in Sweden. Axfood’s stores sell quality low-energy bulbs at excellent prices under the Func brand. Low-energy bulbs require a fifth of the energy of a filament bulb for the same light output, so an 11 W low-energy bulb is equivalent to an old-style 60 W bulb. Low-energy bulbs consume 80% percent less electricity and last around ten times longer than ordinary bulbs. The first to be phased out will be pearl and clear 100 W filament bulbs in September 2009. By 2012 the majority of filament bulbs will have been removed from our stores.
What to do if a low-energy bulb breaks
If a cold bulb breaks, gather up the pieces and place them in a glass jar with a lid (do not use your vacuum cleaner). Then wipe the floor with a damp cloth. Place the cloth in the jar, seal it and label it with the text “kan innehålla kvicksilver från en lågenergilampa/may contain mercury from a low-energy bulb”. Deposit the jar at a recycling centre that handles hazardous waste.
If a hot bulb breaks, close the door to the room, open the window and leave the room for 20-30 minutes. Then pick up the pieces of the bulb (do not use the vacuum cleaner) and wipe the floor and other surfaces near the broken bulb with a damp cloth. Then do the same as for a cold broken bulb.
Such minor exposure to mercury is not thought to have any effect on health.