bazalways 26 Posted September 20, 2013 Report Share Posted September 20, 2013 One of our local traders had what I thought was a good idea, he started charging 5p for carrier bags several months ago. He said he was somewhat p--d off by people asking for a bag for odd items like a can of coke or a bottle of milk so decided to say to them "Certainly Sir, one of our Charity Bags, that will be 5p in which ever charity box you wish". Others making multi purchases are not asked. Apparently with only two exceptions he tells me, everyone conforms. The two objectors, one wanting four pints of milk & the other twenty cigarettes both walk out to the local Coop and both walked past the shop waving their free carrier bags & laughing on their way home. I suggested that would have upset him. On the contrary he said, I know that one has paid an extra 45p for the milk & the other at least 25p for the cigarettes & the charities have benefited greatly. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bubblewrap 3,815 Posted October 1, 2015 Report Share Posted October 1, 2015 From Monday you should be charged for "plastic" carrier bags I know it's only 5p(which I agree with) it's just the number of bags used at supermarkets where people will have to be more careful https://www.gov.uk/guidance/carrier-bag-charges-retailers-responsibilities Quote Link to post Share on other sites
catfan 14,793 Posted October 1, 2015 Report Share Posted October 1, 2015 This law only applies tp larger shops, not small shops. I see scope for the public to be ripped off over this. The "nanny" state at work again. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
FLY2 10,108 Posted October 1, 2015 Report Share Posted October 1, 2015 I'm totally against the charge. The large supermarkets may donate to charities, as they are accountable, but the mini markets and corner shops certainly won't. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
catfan 14,793 Posted October 1, 2015 Report Share Posted October 1, 2015 Shops with less than 250 employees are exempt from this law. I can see the arguments in smaller shops. At this rate you will soon have to take your own newspaper to the bleddy chip shop. All this because of some "tree hugging" PC idiot. 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
FLY2 10,108 Posted October 1, 2015 Report Share Posted October 1, 2015 As long as I don't have to take my own loo paper when I go out for the day. 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bubblewrap 3,815 Posted October 1, 2015 Report Share Posted October 1, 2015 Yes but they may make you use both sides of the paper Quote Link to post Share on other sites
carni 10,094 Posted October 1, 2015 Report Share Posted October 1, 2015 I thoroughly agree with being charged for the bags. Should have been done years ago. Not sure about the price, I will calculate my weekly bill and decide. I hope this time the charging continues and doesn't fade out after a while. I will be honest, at Morrisons; going through the checkout more often than not the assistant will ask if we need bags and then just pull off half a dozen and push them towards us, which encourages us to just put a few items in each. Carrier bags are reused at our house in the food waste receptacle in the kitchen. We were given bags when the bins first came out and then when we called the council for more bags, we were told to use the carrier bags? In our car boot, we have at least six strong shopping bags; and always forget to use them at Morrisons, but always use them at ALDI It just goes to show that we can remember and be bothered to take them into the shop when we know we are going to be charged. Lets see if we start remembering at Morries now? Perhaps we won't see so many discarded plastic carriers stuck in trees, spoiling the countryside from now on. Don't know about the doggy waste bags that some people take the time to clean the mess up and then wing it into the hedge. To hang there for months. Anyway. That's another story. 3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mick2me 3,033 Posted October 1, 2015 Report Share Posted October 1, 2015 If I am buying any quantity of items particularly heavy Items, I find a display box that has become empty (or move almost empty items to the box below) Easier to carry the stuff in from the car boot at home. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
FLY2 10,108 Posted October 1, 2015 Report Share Posted October 1, 2015 I think older folk will struggle with these large hessian types of bag. Milk, cans of soup, beans, jars of jam etc all add up to a quite a heavy weight. There will be a glut of fatalities in supermarket car parks due to exhaustion. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Dave 48 847 Posted October 1, 2015 Report Share Posted October 1, 2015 Most people I would think somewhere in the house will have a " bag for life" that they have bought sometime in the past and then put it away in a drawer or cupboard and forgotten all about it. Now is the time to find it out and remember to take it /them when you go to the supermarket hence not having to pay 5p for a carrier. 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Compo 10,328 Posted October 1, 2015 Report Share Posted October 1, 2015 they have been charging here for a couple of years now. All shops charge - even some of the charity shops have begun charging too! Now we have to buy bags for our waste (on rolls - cheaper than 5p per bag) which means that by-and-large there are till about as many plastic bags going to landfill as there was before. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Merthyr Imp 729 Posted October 1, 2015 Report Share Posted October 1, 2015 You get used to it - we have here in Wales - and for the last few years it's taken some getting used to when visiting a shop in England to realise the bag is being handed out free. Really it's just a case of reverting to how things were years ago, as I remember when I first began to do my own grocery shopping back in the early 1970s I took my own shopping bags to the supermarket. It's just the same now. Was it in the 1980s that plastic carrier bags came to be handed out as a matter of course in shops? People somehow used to manage without them before that. I'm not sure what Compo is referring to by bags for waste, as the plastic bags we have to use here for recycling waste are degradable. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
redbowen 131 Posted October 1, 2015 Report Share Posted October 1, 2015 Everything that Merthyr Imp says is correct.You soon remember to bring bags with you and if you invest in a bag for life they do seem to last forever.I think the hessian bags are £I.50P. The recycling and food waste bags are supplied by the council and are biodegradeable. There was moaning for the first few months of changeover but then everything settled down and now nobody mentions it at all.I think it is better the way we are now. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
FLY2 10,108 Posted October 1, 2015 Report Share Posted October 1, 2015 I just wonder how many people will be made redundant due to dramatic reductions in workload at bag manufacturers. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted October 1, 2015 Report Share Posted October 1, 2015 13 cents each 'ere,and that's for the cheap and nasties! Over 5 years ago this was brought in to prevent litter. Fly ,on the subject of loo paper,our local landlord used to dash into the toilets when a coach pulled in and remove them!!-"they only come in for a wee" he said. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
benjamin1945 16,160 Posted October 1, 2015 Report Share Posted October 1, 2015 Plastic carriers are a real menace,how long does it take to decompose ? there was one stuck high in a Tree on Vernon rd nr the crossings,i first noticed it in 1986 when i was walking my daughter in her Pushchair,last saw it was around 2,000,just before the tree was cut down. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BeestonMick 263 Posted October 1, 2015 Report Share Posted October 1, 2015 You'll get used to it, we've had it in Wales for yonks and it works very well. Save your bags and reuse them then you don't have to buy them again. Tesco, Asda and Morrison's gave us all "bags for life" for free at the beginning of this law, which are quite nice Hessian affairs, I still have mine now after four or five years of this. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-34401851 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MargieH 7,600 Posted October 1, 2015 Report Share Posted October 1, 2015 Re the hessian type bags being too heavy ...... When you pack your paid-for shopping straight into the 'bags for life' in your trolley, it stays in the trolley until you get to your car so you don't have to carry it anywhere. Also, we keep our re-usable bags in the back of the car all the time in case we get a sudden urge to go shopping when we're out somewhere! Do your checkout operators ask you if you'd like help with packing your bags? Or is it that they only ask 'Old People' cos they think they're slow and doddery? I always politely decline COS I'M NOT OLD!!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
loppylugs 8,429 Posted October 1, 2015 Report Share Posted October 1, 2015 We have a small chain of supermarkets here called "Trader Joe's." They specialize in a lot of organic stuff and give out heavy brown paper sacks for their stuff. These bags are so well made we hate to recycle them and take them back to re-use until they wear out. Hate the nasty flimsy plastic bags and avoid if possible. As far as I know there are no stores charging for bags, YET. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
benjamin1945 16,160 Posted October 1, 2015 Report Share Posted October 1, 2015 You just beat me to it Loppy'...........i was going to mention the 'Brown bags' you see them in lots of American films and TV shows,.........well many years ago we used them at Marsdens/Farrands/Vernons, they were strong and easy to dispose of...........they sort of faded out over here.. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
crankypig 457 Posted October 1, 2015 Report Share Posted October 1, 2015 Primark do brown paper carrier bags,so why can't other shops?the primark ones are useful for keeping potatoes in ,they don't go all sweaty. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
benjamin1945 16,160 Posted October 1, 2015 Report Share Posted October 1, 2015 Nowt worse than sweaty 'Taters' cranky,.......... 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Michael Booth 7,364 Posted October 1, 2015 Report Share Posted October 1, 2015 I think it's scandulous that they're charging 5p for a plastic bag. Supermarkets make a fortune out of shoppers, just have a look how much their profits are per annum and how much the top boss earns. Another thing, plastic bags aren't just for shopping, you need plastic bags for putting all your bits and bobs in, your dirty boots in the car boot after taking the dog for a walk, keeping the dog poo bags in during the walk. If you think about it we use plastic bags for lots of things. The charge for a plastic bag is just another way of fleecing the shopper irrespective of the reasons put forward. Plastic bags in trees and bushes is one mentioned. If there aren't enough Council workers to do it then there's certainly enough unemployed people and prisoners who'd have to give up their valuable time watching TV and playing snooker. 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
catfan 14,793 Posted October 1, 2015 Report Share Posted October 1, 2015 It's OK for the "tree huggers" to think what a great idea this is preventing all those nasty plastic bags going for landfill, but I'll wager they all drive around in cars polluting the atmosphere ! You can't have it all ways. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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