This week at Ohlala French Coffee we're going to talk about how we consume on a daily basis, so I'm going to tell you about how I consume. This will allow you to see the useful vocabulary to talk about it. Here we go.

I don't pretend to be perfect in my way of consuming at all, far from it. There are things, I think, that are good, that are responsible. And, there are other things that I need to improve. I am well aware of that

 

Food products :

As far as food is concerned, I go shopping once a week. Since the health crisis, I shop at the drive-through and I like it. I find it more convenient. I shop in a French supermarket called Super U, because it's the closest to my house. 

Before I go shopping, I look in the cupboards and in the fridge, to see what I have left, so I don't buy products I don't need, to avoid wasting. I also think about what I will eat this week. In general, I eat almost always the same thing. In fact, there are always starchy foods, greens and a source of protein.

The last order I made, for example, had fruits and vegetables. I buy some of them at the supermarket and I also go to a small store that sells organic and local vegetables. However, it's not cheap in that store.

We started a vegetable garden a few weeks ago, and I hope to have my first harvest soon. This allows me to buy a little less fruit and vegetables and to be a little more independent.

I also bought fresh products, in particular yogurts. We have some salty and sweet products. And I bought litter for the cat, very important. 

It's very simple and there's not much. I try to be careful not to consume too much and to plan a lot to avoid wasting as much as possible.

I also go once a week to the butcher where I buy a little chicken, beef and sometimes cordon bleu.

In terms of product selection, I find it important to choose products with as little plastic packaging as possible. I also look at the origin of the products, if they are organic, local and of course the price. It's a balance of all that. If I can, I try to buy fair trade products.

Of course, I recycle my waste. I also have a compost where I throw my vegetable waste.

 

Cosmetics:

For cosmetic products, I buy and make some of them.  The products for my hair, I make them: shampoo, care and dry shampoo. To make them, I order the ingredients I need on the Aroma-zone website. It's a French website that provides the ingredients to make your own cosmetics. 

For the soap, I buy it from a local producer. And for the rest, I like to buy the brand So'Bio Etic.

 

Other products :

Other than that, I'm not a big consumer. I buy a few electronic products when I need them for my work.

Most recently, I bought a tripod for filming and some tips for my Ipad pen.

I buy these products on Amazon. I know very well that this is not responsible. But, I don't have a store to buy these products near me. I have to drive an hour to get there and with the lockdown, we have to avoid traveling as much as possible.

For books, I have an e-reader which is dematerialized.

Otherwise, I don't buy much else. I rarely buy clothes and if I need them, I try to buy as much as possible second hand.

 

In summary :

In short, I try to find a balance in my way of consuming between quality, respect of the environment, origin and price. This is not always easy.

When I buy something, I try to be well-informed about the product I'm buying, I compare it to the other products offered, I look at customer reviews and I also use Yuka. It's an application to know if a product is good for your health. Buying something is for me an act that requires asking myself several questions like:

  • Do I really need it?

  • Will this object last over time?

  • Can this object be recycled?

  • Does the price correspond to the value and usefulness of the object?

  • What environmental impact will this object have?

 

French Consumer Vocabulary:

Supermarket vocabulary in French

French Consumer Vocabulary

 

 

Your Turn: What questions do you ask yourself before buying a product ?

I'll see you soon for new adventures, in French of course! 🇫🇷