To have not noticed about the 5p carrier bag charge?

[Snoozebox]

I feel it was sprung upon us! When was it officially agreed by government?

I was in Tesco today and saw the signs that from sometime next month it will be enforced.

Don't get me wrong, I agree with the charge and have heard about it being discussed for years, but I didn't know it had been made mandatory! The cashier looked at me pityingly when I queried it and said it has been all over This Morning the media for weeks. Have I been too distracted by Jeremy Corbyn's lovely visage to notice this?

Paper bags are often more expensive to produce - especially if made to the quality they'd need to be to realistically replace plastic - or, if cheaply attained, come with a whopping great carbon footprint as they're imported from cheap suppliers abroad. So either way your shopping would go up as retailers levied the extra cost of bags by raising prices or the environmental impact is just as bad.

Can't imagine retailers have any right to make you use a bag - a receipt is proof or purchase. Last time this happened to me was at least a decade ago though.

I really don't understand all the fuss over a few pence per bag. It's not like bags are a human right?!

Haven't read through all 11 pages so apologies if this has been said before, but I want to know why retailers are not supplying paper bags and sacks.

Because all single use carrier bags increase litter and use resources to produce. People are probably even less likely to reuse them than plastic bags.

Reduce the amount of waste first, then think about recycling.

On the latter point - I often go without bags when buying clothes etc, and tuck the items into a bag I have already. Never been a drama.

I have been using the bags for life for the last few weeks (I was one of those people guilty of not making enough effort before). It's amazing how quickly it becomes habit. I keep 3 in my handbag rolled together with an elastic band - when I take them out I put the band on my wrist which reminds me to put them back in when I get home! I keep extras in the car for big shops.

I always have bags in the boot of my car for Aldi /Tesco etc and one in my bag for emergency purchases but there is a sign in Matalan saying that as from Oct 5th you have to pay 5p in total for one bag (or more if you need them) Now clothes are quite bulky. Can you imagine declining the bag and walking out with an armful of clothes and some round your neck !

If your spending enough on clothes that you need multiple bags then really 10p or so isn't going to make much difference. You can still take your own bags in with you though.

Got the e-mail from Ocado to say that will start charging per bag from 5th October. Wish they'd use less however - you often get bags with just one or two items in. All online supermarkets seem to be similar with regards to have little they place in their bags.

At least with Ocado you get a refund for every bag you send back.

I've just bought a nice fold up shopping bag from shoezone. I just unpack it then pop it back in my handbag ready for next time. I also have a shopping trolley (old lady alert)
I see no problem with this at all.It's just returning to the way it was years ago.

Warehouse gave me a paper bag last week, I did wonder if the move was to avoid the 5p charge.

You must be getting a watered down version in england then as in scotland we are charged for single use bags whether they are paper or plastic

The charge only comes in on the 5th October so I doubt there was any motive behind the paper bag other than whatever you bought fit in it.

All carrier bags whether they are paper or plastic carry the 5p charge. Well they do in Wales

The charge will just be on plastic bags in England

"Why should I pay"
You don't - take your own bag, carry the items loose, get it delivered, whatever.

Can anyone recommend some where to buy string bags and crates?

First I heard of this! So is it all bags in all shops? Clothes shops, take-away shops and if its just plastic bags than I take it primark won't be charging as they use paper bags

oh well just googled it myself here is a useful article: www.theguardian.com/money/2015/oct/02/how-will-the-pastic-bag-charge-affect-me

so we are being charged for using bags because we need to be careful about the environment - ok fine no issue with that but then surely the money made from charging should go to environmental causes rather than lining the pockets of the supermarket who are being forced to charge it. SO basically supermarkets win really.

Also looks likes its a minimum of 5p so sure in the future I can see them upping the charges

You are not being charged for using bags. You can take your own bags with you, and pay nothing.

The 5p is not "lining the pockets of the supermarkets"

I bought the superior-quality bags from Aldi today. Much thicker, strong strap handles, a big patriotic flag on each side instead of a shop logo.

Will doubtless last for ages.

The cost?

7p each.

"Retailers are expected to give the money to good causes, but it is up the them to decide. They must report what they do to the government, which will publish the details each year."

Yeah, we all trust Government published details.

The stores have supported charities in Wales and Scotland with money from the bags so no reason to doubt the same will happen here.

We do bagless shop for delivery too. It takes marginally longer to unpack the crate but it saves all the bloody bags it's otherwise delivered with. Just keep spares in the car or your handbag. A nice jute bag with a design of your choice..... it'll become second nature.

Really, it's no big deal

I work in a shop and people will buy a tiny item e.g a toothbrush and then stand and say "I will have a bag" so I think it is good in a way. On the other hand I'm ready for the shit to hit the fan next week.

I think it's an excellent idea. I've been using jute bags for years and had to battle with the cashiers not hearing my polite refusals of their bags.

One thing that's confused me though is that my local farm shop, that cannot be employing more than a couple of people, told me yesterday that they are obliged to charge too. Does anyone know if that's right? In fact I think all should charge, without exception.

And don't get me started on styrofoam packing of fruit and veg. A new campaign needed there I think. Force supermarkets to charge more for packaged greengroceries and pass on difference to conservation charities?

I just don't understand why the supermarkets don't use biodegradable paper bags like they do in the U.S.. Why use plastic at all? It just seems such a simple solution. Primark have been doing this for years

The ocado delivery thing really annoys me, I don't ask them to deliver in plastic bags which quite often have 1 item in them. I'd be quite happy with paper bags or cardboard boxes. They did say however that the 5p is refunded for each bag you pass back to them so I suppose if youre just handing them back each week there's no extra charge to you