How it works

To avoid single-use packaging, Lock’O’Loop relies on a circular system. Products are sold in jars, others in bags, tins or without packaging. Some of these containers are meant to be returned (to be refilled at Lock’O’Loop) or kept by the customer for ulterior use.

Fill your basket with our products

Go to the shop page to check our catalog.
To start adding items to your basket, you first need to create an account. Don’t worry, we ask for minimal information.

On top of the product price, you will be charged a deposit for the jars (or bags) themselves, ranging from 0.5€ to 2€ depending on the volume and type. The price you see in the small circular arrow indicates the value of the deposit you pay on the packaging (if any).

To get more information about the product quantity, hover or tap (mobile) on the blue circle. For more details about the product itself, such as allergens, nutritional facts or best before date, you can click on its name or picture.

When you add an item to your basket, it is added to the sidecart (accessible on mobile by clicking on the basket button). If you want more products of the same type, click on the + button again or modify the quantity in the sidecart. If any of these buttons are greyed out, it means we’re short on stocks and you can’t add more!

Note that the sidecart displays your basket weight (including containers) so that you can be prepared when you come-by to pick up your groceries.

If you have a promo code (remember to enter 1storderLCKL to get 25% off your first order!) or if you already returned jars before, you can apply your coupon code to your order from the sidecart.

Choose your pick-up point

We’re working with local businesses and organizations who share similar values and have agreed to become pick-up points. The list grows longer everyday!
Check the map and select the location that’s most convenient for you. They each show their address and opening times and days. Note that there is a time limit depending on when and where you want to order to.

Choose your mean of payment: we accept both iDeal and direct transfer.

Sit back and relax while I assemble your order

Some pick-up points are available for same day delivery (as long as your order before noon) or next day delivery (as long as your order before 14:00 the day before your choice of date.

Once the payment is received, I’ll start processing your order: I will put everything together in a box, fasten it to my cargo-bike, and here we go!

You will receive another email when it’s available for pick-up.

Drop-by your pick-up point during opening hours

Just ask someone at the reception and they will show you to your basket. Once you’ve taken your order, you can also put your empty containers in there. Leave the box: we will need it for other orders.

Once we retrieve the box and bring the containers home, you will get the deposit back in the form of a coupon that you can use for your next order.

Please, only return your containers when you’re picking up another order; if however you’d still like to return your containers on another occasion, fill this form first.

Couldn’t make it in time?
No worries!

If you can’t make it in time or if you forget your basket, don’t worry; we will notify you and keep your order another two working days.

If you still haven’t picked it up and we haven’t heard from you at all, we will cancel it and refund it to you, with a penalty equivalent to the deposit or 5€, depending what’s the lowest.

You can also contact us up front so that we can work out a solution.

That’s it!
If you have any other questions feel free to contact us or check the FAQ underneath.

FAQ

Our jars come in 4 volumes:

  • 105ml, they have a diameter of 5cm, are 7.5cm high and use twist-off Ø43 (TO43) lids. They weigh on average 110g each (including the lid). They have a deposit of 0.8€.
  • 314ml, they have a diameter of 8.5cm, are 9cm high and use deep twist-off Ø82 (DWO82) lids. They weigh on average 200g each (including the lid). They have a deposit of 1€.
  • 580ml, they have a diameter of 8.5cm, are 12.7cm high and use deep twist-off Ø82 (DWO82) lids. They weigh on average 290g each (including the lid).They have a deposit of 1.5€.
  • 1062ml, they have a diameter of 8.5cm, are 22.2cm high and use deep twist-off Ø82 (DWO82) lids. They weigh on average 475g each (including the lid). They have a deposit of 2€.

Did you know? When we display the cart weight, we also include the weight of the containers.

For traceability purposes, every actor of the supply chain needs to get a certification to sell organic products as such.

But getting the organic certification is extremely expensive: count a few thousands of euros as starting costs, and another several hundreds each year to have and keep the shop certified.
Additionally, transferring products in jars with our logo on them is considered repackaging, meaning we would also need to have each product certified (count another 50€ per product) – not to mention all the potential fines for not properly complying to all the administrative headache.

For a tiny shop such as Lock’O’Loop, it’s simply not possible: too time-consuming and this would be more than we make!

(Learn more on the SKAL website)

This is why we decided not to get the certification, but you can find all the information you need and product sheets on our suppliers’ websites (Do-It organic’s and IDorganics’). These two suppliers exclusively sell organic products, and they wouldn’t be legally allowed to have “organic” in the name of your business if they didn’t.
As for Lock’O’Loop, the supplier for each product can be found in the corresponding product information sheet.

Our spices and herbs as well as hygiene products are non-organic.

You’ve probably have noticed that some of our products carry a “Past BBD!” badge, which means they are being sold past their BBD/THT.

The Best Before Date (Ten minste Houdbaar Tot in Dutch) differs from the Use-by date: the best before date is about the quality of the food, while the use-by date is about safety.
In the EU, these labels are regulated to ensure that retailers use the appropriate one for their products.

The Use-by date does not apply to our products, since it is only used for fresh and perishable food such as animal-based products (think meat or dairy). When it does appear though, it should be strictly respected (and shops are legally required to discard them).

For dry goods such as ours, there is no such thing as a Use-by date.

There are actually some grocery stores specialized in selling at a very low price products that are past their BBD and that they get from supermarkets. One I personally visited is La fourmi in Lyon, France.

And it is quite an important matter: every year in the EU, it is estimated that up to 9 million tons of food waste that are linked to date labeling, due to misunderstandings about the “use-by” and “best before” dates.

Just like these stores, we want to avoid food loss as much as possible, and it is with this idea in mind that we continue to sell our products even past their BBD – at knockdown prices (up to 40%).

However, if you were to be disappointed with one of these products, please get in touch with us and we’ll do our best to find a solution.

You can find more information here: https://www.eufic.org/en/food-safety/article/best-before-use-by-and-sell-by-dates-explained

There’s a reason why we prefer you return your containers (jars or bags) at the same time that you pick up your new order: when your order is delivered, it comes in a box with your name on it. That means that when you return your containers, it is easy for the person at the pick-up location to know where to put your containers.
They don’t have to find a way to indicate your name on the container, nor do they have to worry as to how to store them: there’s already a crate with your name on it!
They also are expecting you because they know you have an order to pick-up.

Moreover, our partner locations are helping out Lock’O’Loop for free, so we really want to keep the process as smooth as possible.

However, we also understand that you might want to return containers earlier than your next order. So if you’re planning on dropping containers at one of our pick-up point, please fill out this form.

If you no longer wish to order from us for any reason and still have containers you’d like to return, please fill out this form:

Check Our partners page or the footer of this page for the opening times and addresses.
Please mind the opening times of the pick-up point you chose.
Does not need to be exact.

Tell us when and where you wish to return your containers, check ‘no’ to the question “Will you be ordering again?” and instead of issuing a coupon, we will refund you.

You can also get an existing coupon refunded by sending us the code, but you could also gift it to one of your friends or family since our coupons are not tied to a specific account 🙂

We understand that you cannot empty all your jars by the next order and that it can feel a bit frustrating, especially if you already own a nice collection of jars yourself.

However, due to the nature of our system, based on delivery and prefilling, it is difficult for us to do otherwise: the weight and price are predetermined and we don’t have the necessary equipment to allow you to fill your own jars.
While we would love to have a brick-and-mortar shop, the investment is way too important: a dispenser costs 100€ and we have more than 100 products in-stock, not to mention it needs to be cleaned regularly.

But take a step to the side: picture our jars as a mean of transport rather than a mean of long-term storage. If you want to return all your jars the next time, you can just transfer the products to your own jars once you get home (or at Lock’O’Loop).

You just need to make sure that your jars are not smaller than the one we provide, which is why we always indicate the volume for each jar.

Another solution: if you’re planning on ordering big quantities and if you can pick-up your order directly at Lock’O’Loop, then bring your own bucket. Simply preorder the quantity you need as you would normally do and we will be happy to transfer our products directly into your container. We will immediately credit your deposit account and you will be able to use with your next order.

You can also order from our bulk section.