Prague farmers’ markets kick off spring 2019 season, pledge to go plastic-free

A week ago, Prague streets were covered in snow.

Now, two of the Czech capital’s popular farmers’ markets are in full swing for the 2019 season, and some have pledged to get even more eco-friendly this year.

Last weekend, the Saturday Náplavka market officially inaugurated its tenth season by the bustling Prague riverside. They’re among the markets making an increased effort to go green this year by swapping out plastic containers and bags for more environmentally-friendly materials.

“The organizers, in agreement with the retailers, want to start using paper to replace plastic disposable bags this season.”

Náplavka’s sister market Heřmaňák, near the Prague 7 waterfront, has been using eco-friendly materials since its establishment in 2017. It’s also currently in operation for the spring 2019 season, every Saturday.

One of Prague’s most popular farmers’ markets, the Wednesday-Friday marketplace at Jiřího z Poděbrad will kick off the 2019 season this Wednesday, February 13.

The Jiřího z Poděbrad market will also be going more green, offering customers new environmentally-friendly bags made from 100% biodegradable materials throughout each of its stalls. Some stalls will also be encouraging the use of returnable cups for drinks.

“Their benefits are considerable, one returnable cup can replace up to a thousand disposable ones,” a spokesperson for the Prague 3 Residential Property Administration, who organizes the Jiřího z Poděbrad market, told Deník.

“They are also much more durable and maintain the temperature [of drinks] better.”

Náplavka and Jiřího z Poděbrad are two of Prague’s most popular markets, but they aren’t the only Prague farmers’ markets to kick off operations for Spring 2019.

Keep an eye out for farmers’ markets in Karlín, Anděl, Pankrác, Spořilov, Dejvice (Kulaťák), and other locations in Prague, which  will also be opening for the Spring 2019 season in the coming weeks and months.