ever have to pay for shopping bags in a supermarket?

Kugglegirl

Sun, Nov 16 2014, 5:09 pm

they are supposed to start charging here soon. I bring bags-ehen I remember- for the grocery store. I fill 1-2 carts with any shop & never have enough bags with me. the bags take up a lot of space in the cart while I'm shopping, so that's kind of annoying.

I like having the insulated bags in the summer.

shanie5

Sun, Nov 16 2014, 5:23 pm

Sanguine wrote:

Just now they almost started charging here in Israel but then the environment minister quit (love those Israeli politics) and they're not doing it. So how does it work? We do big shoppings in the cheaper supermarkets and I can easily need 20 shopping bags in one shopping. So you have to fully pack up before you pay the bill so they know how many bags to charge you for? We're always paid and packing while they're already staring to ring up the next customer.

Second question. We always reuse the bags for a ton of other things (garbage bags, freezer bags, lunch bags, dirty diapers (haven't done that in 10 years)...) So if I use those cloth bags, I'll just buy plastic bags to use for all my other plastic bag needs. So how is this going to save the environment?

When I forget my bags at home, I estimate how many bags I will need. The cashier at the checkout puts my items back in an empty cart. After I pay-for groceries and bags-I wheel my cart to a shelf and load the bags myself. Sometimes I actually guess right on how many bags I need.

tryinghard

Sun, Nov 16 2014, 6:21 pm

Sanguine wrote:

you guess. then you go back with your dime and say, I need another bag please Smile

Quote:

Second question. We always reuse the bags for a ton of other things (garbage bags, freezer bags, lunch bags, dirty diapers (haven't done that in 10 years)...) So if I use those cloth bags, I'll just buy plastic bags to use for all my other plastic bag needs. So how is this going to save the environment?

It's not.

It's a feel-good measure.

And in the store that charges here, it's a money-saver, nothing to do with environment. DH hates us paying for bags on principle so I usually don't, but every once in a while I do.
Oh, and it's funny that someone mentioned food stamps recipients not having to pay, because the of the clientele of this particular store, about 85% are on food stamps - but everyone pays.

amother

Mon, Nov 17 2014, 12:30 am

Bag ban where I live too. And it doesn't effect the environment as much as they thought because...
- people buy the bags anyways
-the bags you buy are supposed to be reusable as they are thicker (meaning more of what they don't like in every bag).
-people still toss a lot of them out.
- Those bags need to be washed weekly- extra soap in the water systems and water being used.
- there's more dog poop in the street and dirty diapers in public garbages
- much more food poisoning. Ok, not an environmental issue except all the extra waste to take care of a sick person-washing sheets, showers, medical supplies...not to mention extra flushing.

It's a feel good measure. Plus the stores like it- something they gave for free now makes them money! (The bag doesn't cost the store 10 cents...)

clakop

Mon, Nov 17 2014, 7:15 am

I live in Italy, no more plastic bags in supermarkets, only biodegradable. And they cost a lot!!! Now quite everybody bring cloth bags from home and it's not a big deal.
We all have always a bag in the purse for last minute items

chickpea_salad

Mon, Nov 17 2014, 11:17 am

It will be law in the UK next year, already in place in scotland and wales I think.

I think many major retailers are donating the profits from carrier bag charges to charities, which is nice because a carrier bag does not cost the retailers 5p!! (That is the bit I find cheeky, charging me to carry their logo around in my hands)

http://thirdforcenews.org.uk/f.....harge

yo'ma

Wed, Dec 21 2016, 11:35 am

yo'ma wrote:

What do you feel about paying for a shopping bag?

There are some chain stores here that charge you for each shopping bag you use and now the small supermarket that I go to, also charges. I was not happy about it. They also give a candy worth 10 cents when they don't have change. Mad

Forget about paying for bags now. I went to a chain supermarket this morning and they said as of January, they're not even going to provide bags at all. I don't know if the smaller stores will have this also. I think that's insane. What if I'm taking a walk and remember I need a few things, but I don't have any bags with me or go with a bag enough for 3 things because that's all I need and then decide to buy 10 things?? I hope I misunderstood her, but I don't think I did.

SixOfWands

Wed, Dec 21 2016, 11:41 am

yo'ma wrote:

I usually carry something like this in my purse, just in case:

https://www.amazon.com/Delicol.....+bags

Amarante

Wed, Dec 21 2016, 1:42 pm

It been standard in Los Angeles for awhile and everyone has gotten used to it.

There was a long thread several months back because of the proposed change in NYC.

You get used to it fairly quickly. I certainly don't wash the bags every week and toss when they are disreputable. Why would I toss or wash unless something leaked from the chicken because otherwise food is in packages or I wash anyway like produce. I can't imagine my bags have more dangerous schmootz than items already exposed to.

My bags fold neatly up and I stash them inside one of the bags.

ETA - The plastic bags are also dangerous to wildlife because birds and fish get stuck and then drown in the loops. Whenever I toss something with loops now like the holder for a six pack of soda, I snip all the connections so no animal will die for my Diet Coke.

Last edited by Amarante on Wed, Dec 21 2016, 2:51 pm; edited 1 time in total

MagentaYenta

Wed, Dec 21 2016, 2:05 pm

chickpea_salad wrote:

I would love to go back to paper bags. But no bags at all?

How is that even possible?

It's quite easy, you buy cloth bags. I've been living in an area without plastic bags for over 5 years. My bags all get stuffed into a small 4"x6" bag and clip onto my purse. We still have produce bags but they are made of cornstarch and can go into the compost. There are small plastic bags available in the meat dept. for packaged meats that may drip.

ETA: We don't have styrofoam here either. That was eliminated about 10 years ago.

Last edited by MagentaYenta on Wed, Dec 21 2016, 2:12 pm; edited 1 time in total

chickpea_salad

Wed, Dec 21 2016, 2:30 pm

MagentaYenta wrote:

I carry cloth bags almost all the time. I don't want to pay the 5p, but I do forget them sometimes. I would pay 10p for paper bags the handful of times a year I don't have bags with me.