Edinburgh shop owner makes ‘very difficult decision’ to permanently close as cost-of-living crisis bites

An eco-friendly Edinburgh store that sells plastic-free groceries and ethical goods will close its doors permanently later this month.

The Refillery, located at St John’s Road in Corstorphine, has been run by Olga Fatica since April 2021, but the cost-of-living crisis and a drop in customer demand has led to the difficult decision to shut up shop.

In an emotional post on Facebook, the owners wrote: “Well this is sad. The Refillery Corstorphine will close on January 26, three years after opening.

“Opened in April 2021, it was warmly welcomed by locals and residents of Corstorphine, however rising costs and a drop in customer demand caused by the cost of living crisis has meant the site has struggled to remain profitable over the last year.”

Speaking about the sad closure, Olga said: “I cannot thank the local community enough for the support they have given me over the last three years. It was a very difficult decision to make as I have put so much into trying to make this work. Over the next few weeks I will be selling off the stock that I have left so please pop along to refill while you can.”

The Refillery’s other store in Edinburgh, on Newington Road, remains open with no intention of closing any time soon.

The owners added: “We have been in Newington for five years and have established a very supportive local community here. It's a healthy business and we intend to build on that over the coming year with an expanding product range and even more locally sourced products.

“For customers in Corstorphine who are unable to get to Newington we are still offering a local delivery service if you order online at www.therefillery.co.uk. More announcements to follow on local delivery service soon.

“Please continue to support us and other local independent shops when you can. We appreciate lots of people are struggling financially right now and everyone needs to make the right decision to manage household budgets. Buying by weight can really help to keep control of your grocery budget so it's worth giving us a try if you haven't yet.

“Thank you to Olga for working so hard to make this location work. We wish you all the best for the future and you will always be part of our Refillery family.”