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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to think the environment is just an excuse

31 replies

peter88 · 30/12/2011 17:11

Yet another store I use has announced it will be charging for carrier bags.
AIBU to think its just another way to increase their profits. Obv not including M and S is this as I believe they donate proceeds from sale of their bags.

OP posts:

Mousey84 · 30/12/2011 17:14

I dont see what the big deal is about just sticking a few carrier bags in your handbag when you go out, just in case, if 5p a bag, or whatever, makes you cross.

Which store is it? Most do donate to places like woodland trust anyway.

MixedBerries · 30/12/2011 17:16

I'm in Wales and here it's compulsory that shops charge for plastic bags (with some exceptions for loose products etc) but it's also compulsory that they give the money to charity. Is this not the case in England? I mean the giving to charity bit. I know charging isn't compulsory.

MixedBerries · 30/12/2011 17:19

Oh, I should add that I think charging for bags is a good thing. People use far far fewer and no-one can argue that plastic bags aren't terrible for the environment.

Original poster

peter88 · 30/12/2011 17:20

Maybe they will donate it. If so thats fine. It is however, a local convenience store so often you end up not planning to shop there and I don't always have a handbag with me. Will just have to be more prepared in future.

OP posts:

ilovemydogandMrObama · 30/12/2011 17:22

agree it's an excuse... For instance if it was actually to help the environment, why don't they reduce their excessive packaging...

Original poster

peter88 · 30/12/2011 17:22

I can understand them being bad for environment if they are not utilised for another purpose. I always use them to line bins thus saving the need to buy bin liners or reuse them.

OP posts:

Scarletbanner · 30/12/2011 17:24

If it stops people using bags they don't really need, then how is it a bad thing?

mum80 · 30/12/2011 17:45

I get annoyed too. i don't get them all the time but sometimes you do forget. I went present shopping before Christmas in Mand S and brought some gift biscuits and they were treated as grocery items so I brought a bag for life. Would have annoyed me paying 5p the smaller bags which are probably to weak to accomodate the gifts. Incidently had bags with me but full of other stuff.

joanofarchitrave · 30/12/2011 17:47

Yes I think it's an excuse but if it does slightly reduce the pace at which the Pacific Plastic Vortex or whatever it's called is increasing, I suppose that's a good thing. I can think of other things to get a head of steam up about.

cookcleanerchaufferetc · 30/12/2011 18:01

The government needs to focus on packaging rather than carrier bags. On Christmas day we literally had a mountain of plastic screws, tape, string, plastic covers, plastic bags and wires from toy packaging, none of which can be recycled. There is also a mountain of cardboard which we can reccyle. Half of this packaging is not necessary .... For example plastic screws - wtf!!! Never had them in my day!

SHops should NOT charge for bags. Shops should offer paper bags.

LurkingBeagle · 30/12/2011 18:01

Interesting chap on R4 yesterday was explaining that the average re-useable jute bag uses 130 times more energy to produce than a plaggy one. So you would need to use the jute one 130 times to break even, and if you used each plaggy bag x 10 then 1,300 times etc. Obviously that doesn't take into account turtles being strangled and landfill but it's not as simple as the supermarkets make out. Their own packaging takes the piss, as someone else said above.

I re-use mine on the mog's poo and little "gifts" so I am one of thise annoying cows grabbling lots of bags in Waitrose

lady007pink · 30/12/2011 18:05

We've paid for carrier bags in Ireland since 2002, and it's the best thing that ever happened. I always bring a bundle of plastic bags in the car, and if I forget them I carry stuff out in my arms rather than fork out for a bag - meaning I buy less
It's no big deal, we're so used to it over here.

tinkertitonk · 30/12/2011 18:30

I'm puzzled, why wouldn't a store try to increase its profits? Making profits is what they're for, even charity shops.

TalkinPeace2 · 30/12/2011 18:37

I have had my Waitrose green bags for years and years and years
I hate carrier bags
in the USA when I was a kid they always used paper bags for groceries

then again I WISH that the supermarkets practised what they preach when they pack a delivery order .....

oldmum42 · 30/12/2011 18:56

LURKINGBEAGLE, I was just about to post a similar thing. NewScientist published a study a few months ago about the real (environmental) cost of Jute/cotton bags, per use of the bag, being greater than that of single use plastic bags.

I think the whole "plastic bags are evil" thing is political - giving us all some minor problem to worry and feel guilty about so we don't start think about the other things we SHOULD be doing such as dealing with over packaging - I mean what's the point in bravely doing without your carrier bag when everything you buy is encased in masses of plastic, which often can't be recycled?

LineRunner · 30/12/2011 19:01

I have many carrier bags in my house I have saved from shopping trips.

I think if I can't be arsed to take them back to the shop, then more fool me.

LineRunner · 30/12/2011 19:02

By way the landfill argument is pointless in areas that recover energy from waste (ERFs).

MixedBerries · 30/12/2011 19:08

I do agree with others that over-packaging is more of an issue in this country. I read the New Scientist article too- very interesting.
WRT packaging, when you go to the supermarket, you can take off all the excess packaging at the checkout and they are obliged to dispose of it. If everyone did that, the slowing down of the checkout process and the general PITA to the shop of disposing of it all would soon make them reduce. But that's not likely to happen.

TwelfthNightIsComing · 30/12/2011 19:17

Really? It is very likely to happen now that I know that

Mind you, DS is autistic and doesn't cope too well in supermarkets so even if he was having a good day or I was shopping without him I'd hate to make someone else's day even worse by faffing around unmasking packaging in order to make this point.

MixedBerries · 30/12/2011 19:20

Ha ha. I get panic attacks so I'm out of there as soon as I can! I'd love to do it one day though. I quite enjoy being awkward to make a point.

TwelfthNightIsComing · 30/12/2011 19:34

Oh. DH has suggested that holding up retired people shopping at peak times on a Saturday is perfectly reasonable.

I am sort of on my way to this because when the checkout operator THROWS things onto the belt, I get my revenge at the end by paying veeerrryyy sloooowly.

Oh do you want money for that?

Where is my bag? My purse is in there. Somewhere. Oh and I have a loyalty card. And a coupon entitling me to 35p off. I'll find it in my own time, thanks.

Slower is quicker, checkout people.

partytights · 30/12/2011 19:37

I'm in Wales too and it's compulsory but all the money goes to charity.

Meglet · 30/12/2011 19:48

I don't get why it's such a hard thing to do? I started carrying my own bags around 15yrs ago. It's a piece of piss IMO.

Out of everything I have to do in my life, re-using my own bags is a no-brainer.

sheepgomeep · 30/12/2011 20:29

I dont get it either.. I live in Wales and we have no choice. You take your bags shopping with you or pay five pence per bag. I dont know why we didnt do it years ago

sheepgomeep · 30/12/2011 20:30

I work in Asda Living and we donate the proceeds to our local scbu

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