Ordering and Buying from Essential
How do I open an Essential account?
You can apply for a trade account by completing our online application form.
Alternatively we supply to community buying groups of 4 or more households.
Do you deliver in my area?
We cover many areas of the UK and prefer to deliver in our own vehicles so that you get to meet us and build a more personal relationship. We like to think that there is nowhere that we can't deliver to.
For areas we aren’t able to reach with our own fleet, we employ parcel couriers and haulage companies to make deliveries on our behalf.
Find out more about the areas we service
Is there a delivery charge?
We have set minimum order values (excluding VAT) based on geographic areas. You can view our minimum order values in England and Wales on our Wholesale page under services.
I'm outside of the UK, can I buy from Essential?
Yes, we deliver worldwide. Contact our Export Team for further information or a minimum order quote, let us know as much as possible about your needs and we will respond with a plan of action to get products to you.
When is my deadline to place an order?
11:00am the working day before delivery for trade customers and 5:00pm two working days before delivery for Buying Groups.
I live locally, can I collect from your warehouse?
We offer a collection service from our reception area at the front of our Fishponds warehouse.
Find out more about our collection service
Do you deliver to festivals?
Yes; we have many years experience of delivering to festival traders on sites across the UK.
Find out more about our Festival service
Can I only buy whole cases?
Many of the products that we sell are available as singles. Products that can be bought as singles are indicated by using an asterisk '*' instead of an 'x' sign in the case size. If you order via the website, products that need to be bought in cases will already have the correct number of singles set in the quantity box to make up a case, and you will only be able to order in multiples of that number. For example, Essential Italian Chopped Tomatoes (V541P) have a quantity of 12 by default in the quantity box. If you changed the number to something that wasn’t a multiple of 12, so 1 or 10 or 25, you would get a warning saying that the product needs to be ordered in 12s and you wouldn’t be able to add it to your basket until the quantity was correct.
Do you have electronic pricelists?
PDF pricelists can be downloaded from our Downloads page once you have logged into the website.
Do your prices include VAT?
As a wholesaler all our catalogue prices exclude VAT. VAT rates are V=20% F=5% and Z=0%. To help our Retail customers RSP prices are inclusive of VAT where applicable.
Stock levels
Our Customer Services team are happy to answer any questions that you have about stock levels. If you require large quantities of a single item please give at least 2 weeks’ notice to ensure we can fulfil your order. You can reach customer services on 0117 9430 800.
How often do you update your prices?
We always try to maintain prices from one pricelist to the next (every 2 months).
At times, the costs of ingredients and transport are volatile and prone to unpredictable change. This can mean that our suppliers have to move prices as and when their situation requires it and there may be instances when we have to change prices between pricelists.
Our website is the best place for up-to-date pricing.
Where can I buy Essential brand products or other brands you distribute?
Visit our Stockists page to find out where you can buy Essential products near you.
I’ve forgotten my online password
To reset your password hit the Sign In link in the top right-hand corner of the website. In the popup enter the email you use to sign into the website and then next. On the next screen hit the Forgot Password link and then Send Reset Link. You’ll get an email with a password reset link in it. Follow the link, reset your password and you’ll be logged into the website.
I’ve forgotten both my username and password
Contact our Customer Care team
How do I make a claim for unsatisfactory/undelivered goods?
Please contact our Claims team using our online contact form.
When will I receive my invoice?
Your invoice will be emailed the evening before your delivery day or on the Friday before if you have a Monday delivery.
When and how do I pay for my order?
For orders delivered by Essential, our standard payment terms apply and payment becomes due once you have received your delivery. However, if on standard terms, we allow a grace period of up to 7 days, to enable you to arrange a BACS payment, pay online through our website or pay by card over the phone. We do not accept payment by American Express. Orders that are sent by haulier or overseas should be paid before dispatch. If you wish to apply for credit terms, please contact our Customer Accounts team.
Can you retain my card details?
Yes. We can securely retain your credit or debit card details, using Opayo, an online payment service. Please contact our Accounts team if you would like us to automatically take your payments, using your securely retained card details.
We can also arrange Direct Debit payments.
How do I find out the balance on my account?
Log in to the Essential website visit your My Account page.
How do I request a copy of an invoice or credit note?
Invoices will become available for download in the My Account section of the Essential website: www.essential-trading.coop/account/order-invoices
You can also request invoices by contacting our Accounts team stating your customer code.
Products
How can I get a copy of your Organic certification?
Download our Organic Certification
How can I tell if the Essential brand products are Organically Certified?
Our certifier is Organic Farmers and Growers CIC is GB-ORG-02 or some products are certified by the original country of origin certifiers. Other UK certifiers are:
Organic Food Federation (GB-ORG-04), Soil Association Certification Ltd (GB-ORG-05, GB-BIO-142), Biodynamic Association Certification (GB-ORG-06), Quality Welsh Food Certification Ltd (GB-ORG-13), OF&G (Scotland) Ltd (GB-ORG-17)
What is your GM policy?
There has been a recent update to our policy (January 2022) regarding genetically modified organisms (GMOs) As advocates of honest trading and only selling produce that is not detrimental to nature or the environment, Essential Trading have tough principles to abide by when considering products to wholesale. We believe in trading transparency and the information on all of the Essential brand products and those of the many reputable brands that we stock are meticulously labelled on the packaging.
Essential Trading is recognised as a GMO-free wholesaler. GMO-free trading is a policy that we've stuck by since the mid-1990s when GM food first arrived in the UK. Together with other co-ops and like-minded traders, we actively lobbied the UK government to put controls on GM produce, including the introduction of laws to require clear labelling of all GMO-derived ingredients on all food products (human and animal).
All our food products are 100% GMO-free and this is extremely important to us. Our suppliers are required to provide evidence of sourcing non-GM food products and ingredients. All the raw materials used in the manufacture of Essential´s food products are sourced from non-GM suppliers, and no GMOs, proteins or DNA are used in the food production process as ingredients or processing aids.
Essential will NEVER trade any food that contains GMO-derived food ingredients. This is based on signed GMO-free warranty statements that we require from every supplier. We will never take on partnerships with new food brands on the market that use genetically modified organisms.
Do your cans contain BPA in the lining?
Our tins and cans are BPA Non-Intent. Read our BPA statement for full details.
Has the Essential Sauerkraut been pasteurised?
The Essential Sauerkraut is an ambient product that has been pasteurised at 90 degrees and the duration depends on the jar size. Pasteurisation prevents secondary fermentation, which could cause the jar to explode.
Are there any additives in the Essential Coconut milk?
The Essential Coconut Milk does not contain any preservatives or stabilisers. As it is certified organic, no other additives can be added at any stage of the process without authorisation & listing on the can.
A few words about our coconut oil
You may have noticed some pink, brown or yellow hues at the bottom of coconut oil purchased from us. This is perfectly normal for cold-pressed virgin coconut oil. Cold-pressed coconuts can contain small particles from the coconut, such as tiny pieces of husks, which mix with the oil during the extraction process. The oil is extracted through mechanical methods, compared to refined coconut oil, which is extracted with solvents, then de-colourised and de-odorised. In the hot weather, the oil is in liquid form. The jars come to us from Sri Lanka and are therefore in liquid form during transportation, at which point any sediment from naturally occurring particles drifts to the bottom of the jars. When the coconut oil reaches colder climates, it begins to solidify and stays in a solid form in the cooler temperatures in our warehouse.
We have discussed this with our coconut oil producers in Sri Lanka who are working on improving the filtration process to minimise the fragments of coconut that are making their way into the final product. Due to higher ambient temperatures in Sri Lanka, the discolouration is virtually unnoticeable at the point of production and preparation for export.
Please rest assured that pure oil does not support microbial growth. The discolouration is simply due to harmless residues that can occur with virgin coconut oil extraction. You could compare it with olive oil: good quality extra virgin olive oil has shades of green, simply because the extraction method is more slow and gentle, compared to non-virgin olive oil, which is usually plain yellow.
How can I be sure the product I am buying is gluten-free?
The "crossed wheat" logo of the Coeliac Society is a mark that guarantees the standard of these gluten-free foods.
Dietary Groups: what do they mean?
Organic
A product that has organic certification. This means that it has been produced by organic farming or without chemical fertilizers, pesticides and artificial chemicals.
Non-organic
A product without any organic certification.
Vegan
A product that contains no meat, eggs, dairy or honey and is not tested on animals.
Fairtrade
A product that has a Fairtrade certification. This means that it was produced in accordance with Fairtrade International's rigorous environmental, economic and social standards.
Gluten-free
A product that has been produced to protect consumers with coeliac disease and other gluten-related disorders. Strict standards are adhered to for gluten-free safety and products are batch tested for less than 20 parts per million. Labels are applied accordingly.
No Added Sugar (NAS)
A product developed without the need for sugar. Products without added sugar can contain naturally occurring sugar, however. In some instances, sweetening syrups may have been used.
No Added Salt
A product that doesn't contain sodium chloride. Any sodium content comes from the natural sodium found in the ingredients.
Palm Oil-free
A product that doesn't contain palm oil or ingredients derived from palm oil.
Chilled
A refrigerated product stored between 1 and 4 degrees centigrade.
Frozen
A product that has been subjected to rapid freezing and one that must be kept frozen.
Is the Essential brand retail pack packaging recyclable?
The short answer: Yes - if your waste collector accepts recycling number 5. No - if your waste collector does not accept recycling number 5. Unfortunately, most local authorities do not collect number 5s from household recycling. Check with your waste disposal company, or with your local council to find out
The long answer: Our pre-packaged whole foods are packed within heat-sealed polypropylene bags (multi-layered biaxially orientated polypropylene film laminated with a solvent-free adhesive), this kind of polymer is recyclable (recycling number 5) but is not generally collected for household recycling by Local Authorities, although it has a good potential.
We've been looking for compostable packaging for over 10 years but we are not happy with the solutions proposed in terms of suitability for food-grade packaging, consistency with our GMO-free policy (GM potato starch) and in terms of warranty of product shelf life. We will continue in our quest to find new technologies that will meet our requirements, but in the meantime, we believe that all of us (as consumers, businesses, taxpayers, and as citizens who care about future generations) should put pressure on Local Authorities to implement such recycling.
Where can I find the Essential products' specifications?
For all Essential branded and packaged products these are available on the website once logged in. If you are unable a specification for an Essential product, or would like a specification for a product from another brand, then please contact our sales team.
Can I return bulk cleaning product refill containers?
Can I return empty Household Cleaning Products and Toiletries Refill Containers?
We can take back these containers in the instances where our suppliers will take them back from us.
These include:
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Faith In Nature 20 Litre
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Bio D 20 Litre
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Ecoleaf 20 Litre
What happens to these returned containers?
Faith In Nature
Faith In Nature wash and reuse as many containers as they can. They only grind the container down when it is damaged. The ground-down material is recycled into other products.
Bio D
Bio D wash and reuse as many containers as they can.
Ecoleaf
Ecoleaf sends empty containers to a charitable organisation called The Real Junk Food Project (trjfpcentral.co.uk/our-story) whose main activity is to intercept and redistribute surplus food, but they also process containers for recycling by crushing and baling them, and sending them for chipping for making into other products.
Here are some recommendations from Bio D for good practice when returning empty containers:
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Avoid using marker pen on the containers – marker pen is difficult to remove from containers during the cleaning process and can mean that we can’t re-use them.
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Avoid piercing holes into the container - if there are holes in the drum we will send it for recycling
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Ensure the bulk containers are capped - when you are switching out the 20L containers use the cap from the new drum to close off the old one. This prevents anything from falling into the container during transit.
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Leave the label on the container - this helps us to identify which product has previously been filled into that container and helps us direct the washed drums.
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There’s no need to rinse the container – you can leave this to our dedicated cleaning team.
Why doesn't my bulk product have a Best Before Date?
Commodities traded between traders & other wholesalers/caterers not intended for sale direct to the final consumer do not require a best-before date applied. The final packer or trader that offers a product for sale to the final consumer must apply a Best Before date, which is made at their discretion.
For more details download our Durability or Best Before dates on commodities statement
Is the paper used in Essential Tea Bags bleached?
Yes. Whilst the paper used in our tea bags is bleached, they only contain a combination of ECF (Elemental Chlorine Free) and TCF (Totally Chlorine Free) paper. Bleaching this way reduces the environmental harm caused by traditional chlorine-based bleaches.
All of our teas are 100% plastic-free. The boxes are FSC certified, the string is made of organic thread and the bags are home compostable.
