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Charging for Plastic Bags
I'm currently working in a store that charges for plastic bags, and I personally think it's a really great thing. I love that it encourages people to use reusable bags as they hold 3x as much AND help the environment... but every day I'm confronted by people who complain about the high price of plastic bags (5 cents) as they either a) forgot their personal bags; or b) don't own any.
Is it right that stores are forcing people to pay for bags, or should people have the right to choose whether or not to help the environment?
Is it right that stores are forcing people to pay for bags, or should people have the right to choose whether or not to help the environment?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Jane on -
If the money from the bags go to charity then I think it's fair enough; but if it's just straight charging then, let's face it, 'helping the environment' is just being used as an excuse to increase profits.
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Permalink Reply by Shop Girl on -
I don't know what it's like for the big grocery stores (I work in a small, independent one) but there really isn't much of a profit there for us. Even before we began charging for bags many people would reach for a box instead, or were already on the reusable bag bandwagon. It's really just even more of an incentive for the people who hadn't caught on to the whole plastic = bad bit to bring them from home and reuse.
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Permalink Reply by Nando Tampubolon on -
agree with you,,
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Permalink Reply by Shop Girl on
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I live just outside Toronto, and because my Hubs and I hadn't owned a car until very recently, we shopped often to avoid carrying too much on the bus. We found the reusable bags MUCH better for this.
Now on the other hand, most reusable bags can store up to 3x what a typical plastic bag can. So for someone who might need 10+ plastic bags would, in actuality, likely only need 3 - 4 reusable ones which I think is reasonable. That's only 3 - 4 dollars, and it's a huge investment! We have had our reusable bags for almost 4 years and they are still going strong. I have 4, 2 for each hand, and it's fabulous.
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Permalink Reply by Sarah on -
I'm totally on board with charging for plastic bags. Over the past year as charging for plastic has become more common I've gone from being one of very few people who bring reusable bags along when they shop, to noticing more and more people getting on board with the idea. It takes some getting used to, but if you think of forgetting your bags as akin to forgetting your wallet, eventually it becomes second nature.
As sad as it is, many people can't be bothered to make even small changes to help the environment until it affects their pocketbooks.
While I agree with Jane that it would be great if the proceeds from plastic bags went to charity, the point isn't really to sell plastic bags, but to deter people from using them and encourage people to bring reusable ones instead if for no other reason than to avoid paying the 5 cents, so I actually don't mind if a store profits from plastic bag sales.
I use the PC green bags. Not only are they made from recycled plastic from disposable water bottles and are recyclable themselves but they are super affordable and hold a lot.
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Permalink Reply by Maxie on -
I don't really think it's fair. Sometimes when I go to the grocery store I end up with 20 or 30 grocery bags. I know it's a waste, but I also don't own 10 or 15 reusable bags that I just carry around. I also hope that if they're charging me for bags that they stuff those babies full and don't just put or two items in.
I know it's only 5 cents, but it adds up. Life is already expensive enough.
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Permalink Reply by Shop Girl on
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You're right--life IS expensive... I'm up to my eyeballs in student debt so I complete understand. haha! However, here, where they ARE moving in the direction of paying for bags, I think that it's a worthwhile investment to buy reusable bags. They hold WAY more than plastic, and more weight, and I use them for all kinds of crap.
And I do agree with you, 10 - 15 reusable bags would be a bit ridiculous... but what about owning 3 or 4, and only using plastic when you need extra space?
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Permalink Reply by Jay on -
I see the rationale behind the fee. There have been multiple times when I've gone out for lunch and I've refused the bag because I didn't want to fork over the nickel. Otherwise it would have just been a mindless thing to get the bag without even considering my options.
It doesn't stop me from getting a bag when I truly need one or when I forget to bring my own bags. Still, as a matter of raising awareness, I don't mind. For me, more than anything it's an inconvenience, and not an issue worth taking a stand over--it's not like Toronto banned them outright.
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Permalink Reply by Phyllis on -
I don't really think it's fair - I know that I usually shop with reusable bags, but sometimes I don't bring enough or I realize at the last minute that I need to get a few things and don't have any on me. I know that our local grocery store gives a 5 cent discount for every reusable bag you use - so kind of the opposite of your store.
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Permalink Reply by Linda on -
I spent some months in Italy and saw that this is pretty common there and I really enjoyed it. It cuts down on waste and make you accountable. I wish more places would implement this.
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Permalink Reply by tee. on -
While I understand where they're coming from, I think grocery stores in particular charging for plastic bags is a bit ridiculous. For people who live in the city and go to the grocery store upwards of three times a week, oftentimes stopping after work or on their way back from somewhere, it would be a huge nuisance to have to consider carrying reusable bags with them everywhere.
Grocery stores that stop providing free plastic bags know this and do so to save money and possibly make a small profit under the guise of "going green". If they truly wanted to be "greener" there are a ton of other things they can do, e.g. only providing paper bags, conserving energy in various ways, etc.
I used live in the suburbs until recently and got used to bringing my own bags without an annoyance of having to pay for bags. They had a system where you could ring up your purchases as you took them off the shelves so it was so much easier to just bring your own bags and pack as you go.
Ikea doesn't provide free plastic bags and as a frequent shopper I never minded. It makes much more sense for stores where you're not expected to buy much and/or most of the merchandise is rather large (let's say for example electronic and, idk, pool supply stores) do not provide free plastic bags rather than grocery stores where you have a tendency to buy many items that are rather small.
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Permalink Reply by L.L. on -
I DEMAND to have the choice in what kind of bag I use to carry my groceries. The place I shop at has always charged for bags and I pay for them because there is not one plastic bag that comes into my home that doesn't get used again for something. I live in an apartment, those bags are wonderful for tossing out garbage and cat litter (we have tiny garbage chutes). I will also use them for taking my lunch to work.
Currently my province is looking to BAN plastic bags which I think is a pile of BS. Those plastic bags do have several other uses before they finally become garbage. I don't know anyone who doesn't reuse them.
Remember - there are three R's - everyone yammers about recycling and reducing, but people often forget about reusing.
Also - your grocery store does not give a flying eff about the environment - they're in the business of selling stuff and you're buying the bags. If you actually think these places care, give your head a shake.
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