carrier bags

[ACE]

I know they are the curse of the countryside, but this idea of charging 5p for them is not going to get rid of the problem. If the money made by charging went towards making a bio- degradable bag which I expect cost more to produce I would gladly pay it when I needed one.

The trouble is the shops will just pocket the change and the situation will carry on. I use our unusable ones for  bagging rubbish, now I will just have to pay for rubbish bags which are thicker and must take even longer to degrade, more money for the stores and shareholders.

We do carry some fold up reusable bags but never seem to have enough and the carboard boxes that used to be in the supermarkets are getting harder to come by.

The government should make the stores use degradable bags not just put a blanket charge on all bags.

I argue at checkouts about having to pay in some shops, mainly because they are profiteering on the green ticket and I do not want one with their advertising all over it. I also tell them I have had a bag for life since I got married. ;)

[ACE]

[Obelixx]

We haven't been able to get free plastic bags in supermarkets for a few years now.  We can buy stronger, reusable ones which the supermarkets replace for free when it's worn out.  Some are just thicker plastic from recycled plastic but others have a canvas reinforcing layer and last years.  Most people with cars use collapsible plastic shopping crates which stack when full and pack small when empty.

It needs a very small mental gear change and then becomes routine.

My regular supermarket is in a chain which prides itself on recycling.  They haven't given out bags in 10 years so everyone knows to bring bags or boxes or use the plastic crates they sell and car users often just load stuff loose in the boot and stack it when they get home.   

Plastic bin bags here are usually made from recycled plastic and are more easily biodegradeable than the old sort.

[taurus]

Cardboard is compacted into cubes and collected for recycling.  If you ask at customer services before you start shopping they will have collect some for you to use by the time your ready to go home.  Well at least they do where I shop.

[ACE]

We haven't been able to get free plastic bags in supermarkets for a few years now.  We can buy stronger, reusable ones which the supermarkets replace for free when it's worn out.   

These bags are not really free, you pay more for your goods to cover the shops overheads. I bet the prices did not come down when they stopped giving you 'free' bags. They should be putting the extra they make now into degradable bags. Why didn't  the government say the only free bags must be bio-degradable?  Now  would that be too much to ask. This is just another scam to take money from shoppers to line the pockets of businessmen.

[Obelixx]

A bit naive if I may say so ACE.  Nobody goes into business without profit in mind, whether for personal gain or altruistic motives.  Even ethical companies need profits to fund investments and support their ethical and charitable projects.

I don't see why you excect governments to do everything either.  Everyone should take responsibility for doing the best to maintain the environment be it helping nature, reducing landfill, keeping their neighbourhood plasant to live in, helping and being kind to neighbours and others.  You can have too much government control and regulation and it's usually expensive and inefficient.

Better to use indivicual and local initiatives which are fitted to the particular conditions and lead to some community spirit and thence less litter, less vandalism, less gang culture, less passing of the buck and maybe lower council taxes or more money to spend on the really needy and youth projects.

[Digeroo]

I  really think they should have all plastic biodegradable or recyclable.  The amount of plastic in the bags is tiny in comparison with all the rest of the packing.    I get so fed up finding that there is a recycle symbol on some item but find there are no facilities for that in our area. 

I like have a bag supplied by the shop, but I really do not want all the paper the post office deliver most of which goes straight into the bin unread.

[ACE]

You can have too much government control and regulation and it's usually expensive and inefficient.

I am not expecting the government to do everything, but if they start something they should do it with some thought and do it properly. But read your quote, it is exactly what I am saying.

Better to use indivicual and local initiatives which are fitted to the particular conditions and lead to some community spirit and thence less litter, less vandalism, less gang culture, less passing of the buck and maybe lower council taxes or more money to spend on the really needy and youth projects.

We have a saying, 'when hell freezes over' do you have a similar expression on your planet.

[pumkinlover]

A bit naive if I may say so ACE.  Nobody goes into business without profit in mind, whether for personal gain or altruistic motives.  Even ethical companies need profits to fund investments and support their ethical and charitable projects.

I don't see why you excect governments to do everything either.  Everyone should take responsibility for doing the best to maintain the environment be it helping nature, reducing landfill, keeping their neighbourhood plasant to live in, helping and being kind to neighbours and others.  You can have too much government control and regulation and it's usually expensive and inefficient.

Better to use indivicual and local initiatives which are fitted to the particular conditions and lead to some community spirit and thence less litter, less vandalism, less gang culture, less passing of the buck and maybe lower council taxes or more money to spend on the really needy and youth projects.

Well said Obbelix

[Ellen K]

ACE, I guess you are refering to the M&S Food Dept.

You may not be aware of this but most supermarkets will give you a free bag if you ask.  Or you can bring your own and get a few loyalty card points.

If you must, get the staff to pick up a few extra carriers in Tesco and you can take them to M&S .... Simples!

[antipodes]

Yep here in France the big shops stopped giving out bags a few years ago. We also quickly got used to taking our own bags, baskets, boxes, crates, as you have to pay for new ones! Can go from 3 cents for a flimsy one, to 50 cents for a good sturdy one but which, to be fair, you can then take back and get exchanged for a new one when it wears out.

It just seems to make sense to me. Many other shops, from the pharmacy to clothing shops etc have now taken to giving paper bags which I am also fine with. I compost them once they have worn to threads!!!

But Ace is right, the prices are no cheaper, even though they took away bags and now they are making us check out our own things with their "super time saver self-checkouts". I refuse to use these, as 1) they deprive people of jobs 2) they are not necessarily faster as most people are wallies and incapable of using a scanner and 3) I come to their shop and give them my custom and they can't even bother to put one member of staff at the exit to add my bill and take my money? I know where they can put that!!!

[ACE]

ACE, I guess you are refering to the M&S Food Dept.

You may not be aware of this but most supermarkets will give you a free bag if you ask.  Or you can bring your own and get a few loyalty card points.

If you must, get the staff to pick up a few extra carriers in Tesco and you can take them to M&S .... Simples!

I do not want free bags, I have my own, all I am saying is the government has now the opportunity of making the shops supply a better degradable bag using the money we will be paying for the odd bag that we need. But no, all they are doing is a blanket charge which will only benefit the store owners.

Although listening to the news one store manager is saying that the extra money made in his store will go to local green organisations. A step in the right direction and good on him. But he will be in the minority I afraid.

[Ellen K]

When you consider what a shopping trip uses: a litre of diesel to get there and back in the car, buying food that has travelled how many miles by road air and sea, in a massive new Tesco store etc etc, whether the carrier bags are biodegradable is the last of my worries and I certainly dont expect the Govt to have a policy on it.

Refuse, reduce, reuse, recycle - that's the heirarchy ... say no to carrier bags what ever they are made of.  Or say yes: keep using them until they are knackered then chuck them.  Just make it count.

[Borlotti]

I don't mind too much about carrier bags as normally take my own, but do get annoyed on the odd occasion that I forget or buy something when I didn't intend to go shopping, but the thing that really, really annoys me is what Antipodes said, why the bl...y h..ll should I serve myself.  Put your shopping in the bag, where should I put it on my head, I don't need the silly machine to tell me what to do,  and I agree give people jobs, I refuse to use the silly self checkouts and there is always an assistant there to help as most people make mistakes, and what about my bottle of wine, does the machine know my age, b...dy annoying. In Morrisons today the basket checkout was closed, and there was a queue for the self check-out and I got behind two trolley loads of stuff, but had a free read of Womans magazine, which I didn't buy.  Soon they will expect us to stack the shelves. Supermarkets have no brain, I feel a letter coming on, the poor assistant in Morrisons has to deal with the lottery, cigs, and also customer complaints.  Customer complaints or refunds can take time so you can imagine what it is like on a lottery day.  People need jobs and the supermarkets are just taking the p...ss, well I think I will write a letter, and still annoyed that they can sell dead flowers reduced, not so bad with plants that are dying, but who wants dead flowers, maybe an ex-partner.  Off topic (sorry).  ;) ;)  I walk to the shops every day and still come home loaded with shopping, no petrol used but my arms are getting longer, but get my bike out soon.

[lottie lou]

When did they start giving free carrier bags.  It doesn't seem that long ago when I used to carry a shopping bag permanently or have to pay for one of their paper carrier bags which carried their adverts.  And for heavens sake don't get me started on those self serve checkouts!!  What happened to the days when you went to a shop to be SERVED?  Also when was the last tiem a public servant signed a letter "Your obedient servant"? 

[Aden Roller]

When you consider what a shopping trip uses: a litre of diesel to get there and back in the car, buying food that has travelled how many miles by road air and sea, in a massive new Tesco store etc etc, whether the carrier bags are biodegradable is the last of my worries and I certainly dont expect the Govt to have a policy on it.

Refuse, reduce, reuse, recycle - that's the heirarchy ... say no to carrier bags what ever they are made of.  Or say yes: keep using them until they are knackered then chuck them.  Just make it count.

A litre of petrol to go shopping  :o We use cycle trailers and, between us, can carry home 150kg of shopping using good old fashioned pedal power. (Thankfully the land is relatively flat and there's a decent cycle lane for 50% of the journey).

And, "yep" we always take our own bags.    ;D

[lottie lou]

A litre of petrol to go shopping  :o We use cycle trailers and, between us, can carry home 150kg of shopping using good old fashioned pedal power. (Thankfully the land is relatively flat and there's a decent cycle lane for 50% of the journey).
[/quote]

Crickey 150 kg of shopping?  You must eat well  ;) ;)

[queenbee]

I work in a supermarket, I am on checkouts. My experience is that my supermarket encourages us to try to sell reusable bags, cheapest 12 pence dearest 39 pence.the money does not go into the coffers but to a green policy. I have been on my shift this evening and only 1 person in about 30 have brought there own reusable bags. Most customers are lazy and in some big shops can use up to 20 bags. Some are very apologetic but never the less they still want free bags. Just a mention  regarding dumped stock. Sometimes it is my job to go round a rescue dumped stock. People dump frozen stuff in the bakery, I found a large pack of Pampers in the freezer. Bacon in produce. It all has to be thrown out as we do not know how long it has been there. These customers are just too lazy to hand something over to the staff to put back. If you all worked for a supermarket it would open your eyes.  

[SamLouise]

the thing that really, really annoys me is what Antipodes said, why the bl...y h..ll should I serve myself.  Put your shopping in the bag, where should I put it on my head, I don't need the silly machine to tell me what to do

Bwahahahaha, that made me laugh.  Yes, those checkouts can be rather annoying by giving out stupid instructions like we're all a bunch of dimwits but I think I'm in the minority here because sometimes I prefer to use those if there's only a couple of people waiting and I've only got a handful of things to buy.  

Agree with what Ace has said regarding the supposed savings going back into the shop and I also think that in the great scheme of things shops holding on to their carrier bags really isn't going to make that much of a difference toward helping the planet. So give me my free carrier bags ... I want them now!  Truth be told, I've got about forty bags for life in the kitchen cupboard because I keep forgetting to take them with me and continually buy new ones  ::) :-[

[Aden Roller]

.....................These customers are just too lazy to hand something over to the staff to put back. If you all worked for a supermarket it would open your eyes.  

I think the lazy people in the supermarket are just the same lazy people that surround us in life. If it's costing them nothing directly they don't care who else it harms or inconveniences.

They are the lazy parkers, the litter droppers, the "it's someone elses job/fault/problem blamers. In the long run every little bit of good we can do adds up to something larger for us all.. and IMHO that includes trying to keep once-used plastic shopping bags off the streets and out of rubbish bins.

If only we could all be perfect...like me  ;D ;D My OH says I am very trying.  ???  :-\  ;)

[powerspade]

I shopped in Morrisons last week in Ebbw Vale and every custommer was given free "bags for Life". Here in Wales all bags are being charged, I see that Tesco`s are giving all the money they make to feed the birds, yea if you can belive them as that would go against the grain for Tesco`s (no pun intended)