Ocado - ridiculous plastic waste

[Rangeloaf]

My Ocado shop today was ridiculous. I had a plastic bag with one small packet of Babybel in. Another whole plastic bag just with toothpaste in. And a third with just two food items in.

I appreciate they come from different parts of the warehouse but in this day and age how can it be okay to use 3 plastic bags for 4 items? I know the bags are recyclable but surely this can’t negate all the damage?

You could just take the items out of the bags and give them straight back to the driver.

We do give all our bags back to the driver - but is recycling them eco friendly enough? Does 100% of the bag get reused?

I agree, although you can recycle them it would be better if the bag didn't have to be produced and used in the first place.

I just looked on their website. In 2017 they produced and used 128million bags.

My shopping today came in 8 bags. If I’d packed those myself I’d have used 2 maximum....

People still don't understand about recycling do they?

Can you opt out of bags?

@bibbitybobbityyhat go on then tell us. Does 100% of the bag get recycled and does that process ensure no carbon emissions etc

@thequeef no Ocado don’t allow you to opt out like some others do

No you can't opt out of bags. I have bought weekly from ocado for literally 10 years but I think I will end my mid week saving pass soon, especially when they ditch Waitrose for M&S instead. That's just not affordable. I buy an aubergine a week and that's in its own plastic bag, it's ridiculous how you can't buy anything without it being covered in plastic. I need to switch to lidl and riverford boxes I think.

Don't they reuse such lightly used bags when they're handed back?

I wouldn't mind if my shopping arrived in carrier bags that had previously been used this way. I'd welcome it.

Maybe we should all be asking pointed questions about that.

Ocado Zoom (the new one hour delivery thingy) use brown paper bags and seem to pack them better thab the plastic ones.. maybe main Ocado will switch to those at some point.. Still wasteful packaging but not as bad as plastic

It’s the reason I stopped using Ocado. I now use Waitrose direct from shop which is free and who deliver in crates which I unpack directly onto my kitchen counter and Asda/Sainsbury’s who are close for top ups.

I asked about re using bags once when I had a spillage and the Ocado delivery guy chuckled and said oh we never reuse....

The delivery driver today apologised for the number of bags....

Been thinking exactly the same- my free magazine was even in a plastic wrapper this week?! Also a bit specific but I buy these individual brioche for grown up lunch boxes that are individually wrapped, in a plastic tray, in a plastic sleeve. It’s excessive I agree. If I go food shopping it’s usually 3-5 bags, Ocado is easily double. There must be a way around it, especially at what they charge!

I use Sainsbury's and the packing is ridiculous. 1 pepper, in a plastic bag in a carrier bag and repeat. I'd love to change it but with two small children supermarket shopping for myself Is not appealing.

Agree. I’m thinking of ditching Ocado for this reason. It annoys me every week.

I remember reading before it has to do with the standard number of bags per tote/crate they need for the partly automated packing system which is very different from standard supermarket home delivery picked and packed from a store.

I'm not too bothered about it - I don't think my extra Ocado bags are going to destroy the planet... especially compared to about 90% of the households on my street who drive to the supermarket instead...

‘One plastic straw won’t make a difference said 8 billion people’