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AIBU?

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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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lilyb84 · 15/09/2015 20:59

Although op YANBU, I heard about the charge years ago because I worked in retail but had forgotten about it until reading about it in the news recently so it's not been shouted about. But why should they need to, to be honest?

cashewnutty · 15/09/2015 20:59

Jeremy I have come out of the supermarket juggling such items in a bid to not have to purchase a bag. My food stacking and balancing skills have greatly improved. I don't actually mind paying 5p once in a while but it is the principle - I can and will manage without one!

Knockmesideways · 15/09/2015 21:00

JuJu are you getting that, if you take your bag, like Cashew says, Tesco, Asda, M&S etc won't be getting any advertising from you pint of milk or set of new undies. Because no-one will be able to see where you got your goods from.

If the supermarkets and big chains could absorb this (which as many have pointed out, they can't, the GOVERNMENT won't let them) but if they did you'd find prices went up. They won't absorb it, they'd stealth charge for it. So those who take their own bags will end up paying 1p a pint more for their milk along with the lazy buggers who just whip a bag or two off the pile and stick their milk in that. This way it's only the lazy, unorganised or couldn't care less people who pay.

Cashew - any wine left in that bottle? I may just join you at this rate...

BTW for the person who uses Ocado, Tesco have said they will carry on doing delivery on line groceries in bags for a 40p charge. They reckon it's about 8 bags per delivery (obviously not been to my house where three bottles of milk came in three separate bags but there you go). So 5p x 8 bags. If you get more you're in luck, if you get less c'est la vie I suppose! The last woman to do a Tesco delivery for me said she just hoped the van drivers would be allowed the extra time for those who now want delivery without bags. So Ocado are talking bollocks.

JuJuMun69 · 15/09/2015 21:01

A positive change for what Twirly? for what? plastic will still be around in abundance. Go into any shop and guess what, everything is wrapped in plastic. Are you so naive that you think paying for a carrier bag is going to stop this? how ridiculous. If you turn round and say NO Im not going to pay, don't you think it may have a better impact than just rolling over and throwing money at them?

sleepyhead · 15/09/2015 21:01

I use Tesco scan and shop for my big shop so I just pack straight into my reusables as I go round.

If I forget bags when I'm doing a more substantial shop with the car, I'll just pack it loose into my trolley and then decant straight into a box in the boot.

Knockmesideways · 15/09/2015 21:01

Oops, sorry, rushed the last point. Tesco are delivering with bags for 40p added to bill regardless of amount of groceries or will deliver without bags. They've had that option for ages on their website.

Now for that glass of wine...

TeresaGiudicesForehead · 15/09/2015 21:03

I'm in Scotland and the money does go to a charity. Our local Sainsburys gives the carrier bag money to a local skate park which helps it stay open.
I like the carrier bag charge. I used to buy loads of bags and just use them as bin bags. I'm so much more aware of my habits now and use hardly any bags.
Calm it down to a riot JuJuMun?

BitOutOfPractice · 15/09/2015 21:04

Actually lilyb small and medium sized businesses are exempt and will not have to charge

LittleMissStubborn · 15/09/2015 21:04

Sainsbobs are doing a flat 40p charge too. We will try one bag free and then decide by we I mean dh as he is in for the delivery

cashewnutty · 15/09/2015 21:04

JuJu I would love for supermarkets to use less plastic packaging on their food. I am so not against lobbying supermarkets for changes in the way they package their food. Surely if you want this change then you also want there to be fewer plastic bags used?

CharleyDavidson · 15/09/2015 21:05

For those wondering about the paper bags... Macdonalds in Wales will charge the 5p for one of their take-out bags so it's not just plastic bags that are charged for. They do, however, put the 5ps into their Ronald Macdonald charity and display in their stores the value of the contributions that have been collected.

Tesco have nominated charities for their carrier bag money too. And Asda donated £262177.79 from the sales of Welsh carrier bags alone last year.

treaclesoda · 15/09/2015 21:05

Charging for carrier bags might not solve the wider environmental issues but there is a noticeable decrease in plastic bag litter since they brought the charge in here so I'm completely in favour of the charge.

JeremySpokeInClassToday · 15/09/2015 21:05

Cashew - love it !
You are right - I need to polish up my balancing skills - I already have biker reflexes so I should consider it a challenge ! How many Freddos can I carry home on my person without a holding device Grin

LittleMissStubborn · 15/09/2015 21:05

Anyway back to my earlier point, I can see me just not going to a shop, but we'll see.

twirlypoo · 15/09/2015 21:06

Meh, honestly? I don't really give a fuck! I shop at lidl and pay already if I forget my bags for life. I just can't seem to get as worked up about it as you clearly are. If that's rolling over, then so be it. We have all explained to you many times why the stores have no say in it, but you just keep bleating on (see what I did there?!)

cashewnutty · 15/09/2015 21:08

Baahhhh.

ShadowLine · 15/09/2015 21:09

I'm really not seeing your problem with this, JuJu. So the seller has a responsibility to send their goods off in a manageable way

They're still doing that if they charge for bags, or if they charge for packaging for online purchases (I'm pretty sure that a charge for packaging is already added onto online purchases).

And the argument about biodegradable bags doesn't really work either. Surely it's far better for the environment to use one sturdy bag again and again until it falls to pieces, rather than to get a disposable bag with every purchase that will then go to landfill?

FretYeNotAllIsShiny · 15/09/2015 21:10

I'm hoping that the quality of our bags goes up, or people really do remember to bring their own bags, I'd feel terrible having to charge for two bags when double-bagging tins. Hopefully people will buy our bags for life a lot more.

My main gripe about this (as a checkout operator) is having to scan every bag. I'm not opposed to charging for bags, just having a gripe about it! I use a rucksack instead of a handbag, and I've got another shopping bag slung in the bottom of there, so I've usually got no need for
one.

SilverBirchWithout · 15/09/2015 21:10

Biodegradable plastic bags are actually no better for the environment. They use more toxic chemicals in their production. I worked for a retailer who switched for a while. The bags would often start to degrade before given to customers having being stored, thousands of bags kept needing to be thrown away.

FyreFly · 15/09/2015 21:13

But it's not the supermarkets responsibility to provide you with bags. In the past, they have been provided for the customers convenience. But it is not obligatory for them to provide you with bags. It started as part of the massive convenience culture we have (i.e. forget all personal responsibility, we've got it covered for you Hmm).

The shops have never provided bags because they "have to". They began providing them (along with trolleys, baskets etc) "for your convenience" in a bid to out-compete other chains.

A supermarkets job is to sell you the goods you select. The bags, trolleys and everything else are add-ons that we've become so used to that people seem to think they're compulsory.

CharlotteCollins · 15/09/2015 21:14

That's it, Juju, just say no.

I don't think anyone in the thread has said they are likely to throw money at them...

ouryve · 15/09/2015 21:15

It's been known to be in the offing for years, but it officially starts next month.

End of the world it isn't. Just need to be more organised with bags when going out if 5p a shot is going to be a problem.

sproketmx · 15/09/2015 21:16

It's already here in scotland and I don't think it makes a difference tbh. That and the fact our local shop doesn't seem to pay any attention and just gives you a bag anyway

JuJuMun69 · 15/09/2015 21:16

Carry on like sheep then Grin get the costs of large multimillion companies on your heads and blame yourselves. All good!

FuzzyWizard · 15/09/2015 21:18

Hmm Head, meet Desk!

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