These brands want you to celebrate B Corp Month by buying nothing at all

Sustainable brands like Pip & Nut and Vita Coco have set up shop in London - but there’s a twist

Londoners and tourists alike have probably walked past Soho’s Good News over the past week without batting an eyelid. From the outside, it looks like any other offy - step inside and it’s a different story. To mark B-Corp Month, leading brands are being stocked in a shop where you can’t buy anything.

Seem strange? That’s the point. 

What is B-Corp Month?

Every March, B Corporations around the world come together to raise awareness and encourage other brands to become certified too.

Put simply, B Corps are the most sustainable and planet-friendly organisations out there (read our B Corp brands round-up for more information). They all meet high standards of social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability. On top of that, the brands also pledge to protect their employees, customers, and communities.

Knowing that London is the B Corp capital of the world (there are over 600 in the UK), COOK, Danone, Bruichladdich Distillery and Vita Coco and communications agency freuds put their heads together to come up with a project for B Corp Month. The result? A month-long pop-up store that’s far more than just shopping. 

What is Good News?

The Good News corner shop in Rathbone Place (which is just off the city’s bustling Oxford Circus) is packed out with B-Corp snacks, beauty products, and household goods that give back to the planet. 

Instead of encouraging customers to buy their favourite products, the shelves are designed to teach people about the stories behind the labels. The shop is all about busting greenwashing and educating people on sustainability buzzwords. 

The space is set to be used for events and workshops throughout B Corp Month. From lectures about waste to panels about female founders, each event will teach consumers about how they can buy better.

B Lab UK Executive Director, Chris Turner, says “This project is doing a fantastic job of bringing our community together. We're confident it will drive some great awareness with a wider audience too.”

Don’t worry, you won’t be left completely snack-free at Good News. There’s a vending machine from B Corp Healthy Nibbles that uses social media as its currency and coffee from Origin. Oh, and instead of a wall of cigarettes behind the till there are boxes of fresh air. 

This shop is not about spending money but cashing in on how to make the planet a better place. 

Good News is open for the whole of B Corp Month. Visit from 1st to 31st March, Monday to Saturday, 10 am to 6pm. 

Find Good News at 10A Rathbone Place, London, W1T 1HP