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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

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

400 replies

Snoozebox · 15/09/2015 19:30

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?

OP posts:
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5
treaclesoda · 15/09/2015 20:45

Cross post with cashew

JeremySpokeInClassToday · 15/09/2015 20:46

JuJu - you seem like the type of person who'd sue McDonalds for making you gain weight after eating too many burgers.
Sounds like you don't want to take responsibility for anything.

twirlypoo · 15/09/2015 20:46

Ok, but why do you think it's the companies responsibility? The rest of us are pretty happy saying that it's our job - I wouldn't expect tesco to give me a lift home if I didn't have a car but wanted to shop with them (bad example but you see what I mean!) Retailers buy carrier bags as a product to pass on to the customer, they are being forced by the government to pass that on to us as consumer. Why should they pay twice? They aren't allowed to absorb that cost. They have been told to charge for it!

JuJuMun69 · 15/09/2015 20:47

Well then buy something on line and get it back to you. Right, youve purchased it so I can pay for postage but send your own bag for me to put it in. I cannot understand why you think you need to pay for the bags that help you take the item away. Its ridiculous that you think so. Ridiculous that you pay for their advertising. Ridiculous that you have somehow owned the responsibility for this.

Sirzy · 15/09/2015 20:47

Are you missing that this isn't the supermarkets making the decision to charge?

JuJuMun69 · 15/09/2015 20:48

Because its sheep like to accept it. Who told them to charge for it?

Knockmesideways · 15/09/2015 20:49

The government JuJu. For goodness sake read the replies. At least 6 people have said the government is bringing this in. Tesco et al have no choice but to charge.

BitOutOfPractice · 15/09/2015 20:50

JuJu do you actually think that reducing waste is a good idea? Or is that "ridiculous" too?

No matter what an inconvenience this is to you because putting a fold up cloth bag in your pocket is such hard work and no matter what a ridiculous idea you think this is, it has been proven time and again to, you know, actually work

cashewnutty · 15/09/2015 20:51

But you DON'T pay for the advertising as you don't buy the bags. That is the WHOLE POINT of this. They DON'T want you to buy the bloody bags. The number of bags bought in Scotland is down by tens of millions since this was brought in.

May need to go and lie down with a glass of wine for a bit (incidentally bought in a local Spar and brought home in a small jute bag kept just for this type of purchase)

JuJuMun69 · 15/09/2015 20:51

Are you missing that the supermarket needs to own the fact they want to send their goods out sirzy? are you missing that the consumer doesnt need to pay for this?

Emochild · 15/09/2015 20:51

I'm just hoping that people don't take it out on the sales assistants

It's not our fault and we are equally annoyed by it if that's any consolation

treaclesoda · 15/09/2015 20:52

But if you take your own bags its the opposite of paying for the store's advertising, because their name won't be on your bag that way.

gamerchick · 15/09/2015 20:52

You think this is the supermarkets doing? Hmm

Seriously man have a word with yourself or get yourself a trolley on wheels in protest.

Are you the one who expects a bag to put a Freddo in?

FuzzyWizard · 15/09/2015 20:53

Well you don't have to pay for their advertising. Buy plain jute or cotton bags and take them with you. Hmm I'm starting to think you're on a wind-up now.

JuJuMun69 · 15/09/2015 20:53

They need to get the goods out and dont own the fact of this... DONT you get it cashew? and double breathe! Dont you get the fact that the consumer should never have to be BAGGED up.. Dont you get it that these companies need to find a solution to plastic!

frikadela01 · 15/09/2015 20:53

I have no problem with paying for carrier bags... I do however think companies need to take responsibility for packaging. I bought some sausages that were in a tray, wrapped in plastic and had a cardboard sleeve. Completely unessesary and wasteful.

LittleMissStubborn · 15/09/2015 20:53

Just out of interest does it change peoples shopping habits in as much they don't bother going into a shop because they haven't a bag/used up the ones they have.

JuJuMun69 · 15/09/2015 20:55

Why on earth dont you GET the fact that its the sellers responsibility to send their goods off in a manageable way?

BitOutOfPractice · 15/09/2015 20:55

I want a freddo now

twirlypoo · 15/09/2015 20:55

But the rest of us 'sheep' don't mind accepting it, we agree with it - we think it's a good step to take to bring about positive change.

The majority of people think killing puppies is wrong. Does that make is all 'sheep' or rational sensible people who all happen to agree on a course of action?!

JeremySpokeInClassToday · 15/09/2015 20:57

Little - in that situation i would kick myself for forgetting a bag, but if I need to buy a loaf, bananas, milk i.e. too awkward to carry home without one, then I'd just have to pay the 5p for a bag.
Then it'd be reused again and again until it was knackered

cashewnutty · 15/09/2015 20:57

Little miss I don't know about changing shopping habits but it makes it so much more interesting. So, we have one capacious handbag and one medium poly bag with us. How much can we buy and still not have to shell out for another bag? The answer is: Lots. Pockets are good too. My DD and i have a lot of fun going shopping and trying to not buy a bag.

lilyb84 · 15/09/2015 20:58

It's any company over a certain number of employees. So this will also affect smaller companies as well as the multimillion pound corporations you're getting het up about.

How hard is it to get some decent (and might I add, cheap) carriers for bigger shopping trips and fork out a measly 5p when picking up last-minute purchases? The bags they hand out these days are so thin they don't make for useful shopping - transportation anyway. I've been using the same backpack and bags-for-life for years and they're still going strong.

It's not about being a sheep, supermarkets and other many other retailers have been trying to get consumers to reduce the amount of bags they use for years. It's not working so a charge - proven to work in other countries - seems fair enough.

twirlypoo · 15/09/2015 20:58

Ds has a freddo downstairs in the kitchen.... I would probably be doing him a favour by eating it wouldn't it? Childhood obesity and all that, yeah?

sleepyhead · 15/09/2015 20:59

Not personally, littlemissstuborn. I carry a rucksack type bag as my everyday bag so can get a few things in there (and normally have a shopper folded up in there too.

What I have noticed though is if I forget a bag and am just popping in for bread and milk (for eg), I'll just carry them home, or put them in the buggy if I have it. Previously I'd probably have taken a supermarket bag.

It's only 5p but I'd say I refuse a bag 95% of the time now.