When Sodastream opened its first and only so-called flagship eco-store in Brighton last year, there was talk in the local press about this shop being the first of many in the UK. Brighton had been chosen because of our ‘green’ image and the fact that we have the only Green MP, Caroline Lucas (who has supported the demonstrators outside  the shop).

Our impression at the time was that they were going to assess its success in Brighton and, assuming reasonable profits (or market share, or penetration, or whatever the business-speak term is) they would then roll out similar so-called eco stores across the UK. 

Our understanding is that they have radically but quietly revised their plans and in essence concentrated on getting their products into other stores like Argos.   Sodastream (renamed Ecostream in Brighton) have in effect abandoned the expansion project (unusual for Israelis, I know) due in large part to the noisy reception they received in Brighton. 

I’ve emailed their customer services, using a couple of (erm) useful email addresses, to say how envious we are here in (eg) Sheffield that Brighton has such a fantastic eco-shopping place, and when are they going to open one here so all us greenies can re-fill our bottles? All the replies say the same thing – “no plans to open a shop near you, I’m afraid”. This suggests that the original Sodasstream project has been abandoned.  

Tony Greenstein