Re: Plastic bags

by Dandelion 5th September 2015, 3:18 pm

I was reading in the paper this morning that some larger stores are going to be charging for carriers soon. I wonder how this will work out? I think we've got used to taking reusable carriers out for grocery shopping, but I wonder whether people will start to think 'Ooh, I might get the dress of my dreams today - better take that extra large carrier with me!'

by freebird 5th September 2015, 6:20 pm

I'm sure it will make a difference, charging for single-use bags, but maybe not as much as they think. I do take my own bags shopping, but periodically stock up on some single-use bags, as I use them for bin liners. If they charge for the bags, and bin liners cost less, then I'll buy bin liners. Either way, it's a plastic bag going to landfill - and possibly, as the carrier bags I have are degradable, it won't be a change for the better.

If I have surplus carrier bags, I often donate them to our local charity shop, who are glad to have a stock for their customers.

by FloBear 7th September 2015, 2:27 pm

Have you seen how complicated the charging-for-bags system is?
I understand that in Wales you just pay for the bag. Why aren't we going to do that?

by Ploshkin 11th September 2015, 12:35 pm

I haven't seen the charging system. Here it is just 5p which the seller has to give to a 'good cause'. I think it has worked well here because bags tend to be kept out of sight & you are rarely asked if you need one. Even if you buy clothes they just get folded & put on the counter in front of you. It makes you feel guilty if you ask for a bag. I have seen people going out of a shop with an armful of stuff they can barely keep hold of even though they could have had a bag for 5p. I wonder if a lot of people think that they are not 'allowed' to have bags or perhaps they just resent having to pay for one. Either way, it works.

by Dandelion 11th September 2015, 5:26 pm

That sounds like a good system - I wonder how it will work out in England?

by FloBear 11th September 2015, 8:20 pm

Bound to be a storm in a carrier bag, Dandelion. As Ploshkni said, some people will refuse to pay 5p and make themselves look silly, or carry out the items, drop something and sue the shop!!

by freebird 12th September 2015, 9:33 am

FloBear wrote: As Ploshkni said..

Wonder what part of Russia Ploshkni is from......

by Dandelion 12th September 2015, 6:33 pm

by FloBear 12th September 2015, 9:30 pm

freebird wrote:
FloBear wrote: As Ploshkni said..
Wonder what part of Russia Ploshkni is from......

Oops!

by Jaded Green 1st October 2015, 7:01 pm

A very interesting article in today's Guardian

http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/sep/30/excess-baggage-will-5p-charge-finally-kill-the-plastic-bag

by Dandelion 2nd October 2015, 7:38 pm

...so there I was in M&S today, spending my birthday voucher, and I said 'I know I'll have to pay for a bag, but at least the money will go to charity', and the lady said 'It's not until Monday'!!

by Jaded Green 2nd October 2015, 9:14 pm

:-)

I carefully packed my reusable bags and used them in Tesco today.

by Dandelion 3rd October 2015, 1:52 pm

We got into an odd argument with the checkout lady in Tesco yesterday. She asked my other half if he would like a free 'bag for life', to which he said no. She insisted that he needed to take one, but he showed he that he already had lots of (much stronger) bags with him. She insisted again, to which he asked if it was some kind of joke. It went on in the same way, and it was only when he said 'Shall I ask for the manager to come over, so I can explain to both of you that I don't need a bag for life?' that she stopped insisting.

by Ploshkin 3rd October 2015, 2:34 pm

How bizarre Dandelion. I had the opposite when the bag ban first came in. I bought some loose peanuts for the birds and had to argue my case for something to put them in - I don't know if I was expected to fill my pockets with them. The only time I have bags is when I have an Asda delivery, there's a flat rate 30p charge for bags. If I don't have bags it takes an age to transport all the small items indoors. I then reuse the bags many times or the driver will take them back next time for recycling.

by Dandelion 3rd October 2015, 6:32 pm

I think she may have been a lady who had issues - I took my receipt when the machine printed it out, and she took it away from me, took out one section and said I wouldn't be needing it, then said she had to fold the receipt for me. Maybe she's had some harsh staff training, and was trying to stick to what she'd been told rigidly. We came out of the store feeling a bit dazed after that, and I laughed out loud when I saw at the bottom of the receipt that we could win some vouchers by telling them what our experience in the shop had been like!!

by Jaded Green 3rd October 2015, 7:56 pm

I hope you told them Dandelion.

I must make sure I have reusable bags in my handbag on Monday

by Dandelion 4th October 2015, 5:42 pm

Mr D said we wouldn't win the vouchers if we were negative! To be honest, least said soonest mended!

by Jaded Green 4th October 2015, 5:51 pm

by Chilli-head 4th October 2015, 6:04 pm

I realised when heading to the allotment the other day that I'm going to have to find something else to put vegetables in to bring them home ! Carrier bags have become quite scarce already in our house.

by FloBear 11th October 2015, 9:03 pm

I tried no bags a while ago for my online grocery shopping but, as said earlier, it was a pain transporting small items a handful at a time. 40p for a few bags is no big deal, I hope it's going to charity.
A few years ago I had the experience of refusing a bag at a checkout (as I almost always do) and the till operator insisting I had one. When she handed me the bagged item, I just took it out and left the bag by her till!

by freebird 11th October 2015, 9:37 pm

Ha ha Flobear, I've done that before now as well.

When I used to do online shopping, we rarely asked for bags. It was a simple enough matter to carry the entire crate through and unload it direct onto the kitchen worktop, then return the crate to the delivery driver and collect the next one. Didn't take long. It used to irritate me that, despite requesting no bags, several of the items would still be packed in bags, with only one item in each!

by Jaded Green 16th October 2015, 6:31 pm

I meant to post this a couple of days ago!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-34522034

i have remembered bags so far!

by Dandelion 16th October 2015, 10:48 pm

Ha ha ha!!! (But what happens when the basket nickers go back again? Do they take the basket they stole back with them, or try to pinch another one??)

by Ploshkin 17th October 2015, 3:34 pm

I'm rather bemused by the hoo ha over the bag charge in England when the rest of the UK managed to introduce it without a fuss. For a couple of months before it happened most shops asked if you wanted a bag rather than give you one automatically and then after the start date you had to ask if you wanted one

by Dandelion 17th October 2015, 8:03 pm

You do have to change your habits though - I've just bought a new handbag which I can wear across my chest when we go into Hereford, as I'm usually on two sticks, and this leaves my hands free. Problem is, the new bag is quite compact, and I can't get a carrier bag into it. Good job my other half has big pockets!!

by Jaded Green 18th October 2015, 5:57 pm

I realised yesterday that the bag for life I had popped in my "handbag" - quite a large Cath Kidston satchel - wasn't enough. it contained the shopping ok, but was a bit heavy to carry everything in one bag.

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