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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think that if Ocado are going to charge me 5p a sodding bag...

75 replies

User543212345 · 14/10/2015 16:23

They should put more than one fuckbuggering item in it?

I have no objection to the plastic bag charge at all, and have been a reusable-bag-in-my-pocket type for years but have done an online shop this week and couldn't see an option for bagless delivery. The shopping has duly arrived split between twice as many bags as I'd normally use. Two bags had just three (light) things in them, one just had a bunch of bloody bananas in it!

I appreciate the money raised goes to a good cause but seriously - I don't want the bags and the waste is unnecessary. Shouldn't Ocado try to keep the number of bags to a minimum as we're trying to reduce their usage?

AIBU to think they haven't quite got this?

OP posts:
OnlyLovers · 14/10/2015 16:24

YANBU. I used to get an Ocado order and the bag thing gave me the rage.

Contact them and ask them to cut down on the number of bags they use.

IvyWall · 14/10/2015 16:26

Ocado will refund you if you return the empty bags at your next delivery

ConstanceMarkYaBitch · 14/10/2015 16:26

They refund the bags when you hand them back. You're going to have to find something else to complain about.

SuburbanRhonda · 14/10/2015 16:27

Yes, meaning that you have to order with them again to get your money back Hmm

sparechange · 14/10/2015 16:28

You don't even have to wait until the next delivery!

The driver took a load of empty bags from me while bringing the bags into the house, AND took back some old Sainsburys bags I had in the kitchen cupboard.
I had an email from them the next morning to say that they had refunded me £1.45 - 5p per bag returned. Bargain!

Fatfreefaff · 14/10/2015 16:30

Similar to sparechange - took all the bags and made £1.50 before the charge kicked in.

Original poster
User543212345 · 14/10/2015 16:30

But they don't reuse them do they, they're recycled which is an energy cost? And what if I don't order from them again? It just seems so wasteful, and a waste of my 5ps!

OP posts:
Dancergirl · 14/10/2015 16:31

You get money back for returned bags. And someone brings your shopping in. I would willingly pay a lot more for that.

YABU

OnlyLovers · 14/10/2015 16:34

Yes, for me it'd be less about the money and more about the waste of bags. I used to hate this even before the charge came in.

trollkonor · 14/10/2015 16:36

Have they done something like give you a free bag for meat, one for unwrapped bananas etc then put the remainder in bags per usual?

I used to get my home deliver in bags then send back the old ones. We are on a street that very hard to park on and did this for quick unloading and stop traffic building up. I went for the unbagged option with Tesco this week, they put the burgers in one free bag, chicken in another, mince in a other, my veggie! bacon in an other, then the actual bacon in an other!!! I ended up with more bags than usual.

dinkystinky · 14/10/2015 16:36

I try to empty my bags out as quickly as possible while the delivery guy is there, count them and give them back to him asap

SistersOfPercy · 14/10/2015 16:37

YABU. Hand back this weeks bags (and any other from anywhere else) to the driver next time.

Osmiornica · 14/10/2015 16:38

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Londonista123 · 14/10/2015 16:38

But they don't reuse them do they

They seem to. I occasionally get hole-y ones (in an acceptable way).

I was whinging about Ocado giving me toothpaste, one avocado and a third item in three different bags, but apparently the bagging process is automated / done by machines and they sort items by category (fridge, freezer,....).

Boredofthinkingofnewnames · 14/10/2015 16:44

Tesco are charging 40p per order with bags. Which is a good thing as otherwise it would cost about £3 per order with their insistence to put practically every single item in it's own bag, and occassionaly a random assortment like toothpaste in with garlic or something like that.

goddessofsmallthings · 14/10/2015 16:45

YABU.

According to the driver who delivered my last order, the bags are filled by a robotic process which doesn't involve humans not that anyone would notice.

Regardless of whether it's from another supermarket, Ocado refund 5p for every bag returned so there's no need to be out of pocket if you find yourself having to buy plastic bags from Sainsbury's et al.

SilverBirchWithout · 14/10/2015 16:53

I'm personally surprised Ocado can get away with this "recycling" scam. I don't believe it is within the spirit of the new law to reimburse people for the cost of one-use bags when they take them back again, they are still only being used once and the customer is not actually being made to pay or the environmental cost.

I'm also a bit shocked Boots were giving free paper bags with their lunches, again paper bags have a cost on the environment. Sainsbury's have also upgraded their bags to be stronger with more plastic content to try and appease customer. I do despair.

AnchorDownDeepBreath · 14/10/2015 16:56

It's automated, which is why Ocado can't change it. The system is programmed to put certain products (those which are potentially hazardous or squishable) in their own bags.

You can get a refund if you give any bags back, either while he's delivering (so take it out and give it back) or at the next delivery. They take all bags too, not just Ocado.

I imagine that they'll change the system eventually but it'll be costly, so they'll probably not do it too quickly.

AnchorDownDeepBreath · 14/10/2015 16:57

Silver The Government aren't in it for the environment, they are in it for the money. So they have left loopholes for businesses, such as using plastic bags, collecting the charge and refunding it, including "free bags" with products like fresh meat, not making businesses with under 250 employees charge the fee...

SilverBirchWithout · 14/10/2015 18:08

Anchor you are aware the Govt don't actually get the money? The 5p charge is designed to make people think twice and use reuseable bags. Retailers are using mitigating tactics to "please" customers. But not this one, I am afraid.

AnchorDownDeepBreath · 14/10/2015 18:13

Silver The government get just under a penny from every bag. I believe it's about £19 mil that they are expecting in income from this over the next year.

Charities will make more, but it wasn't for charitable or environmental reasons that this was passed. It was that the treasury needs that £19m.

Hulababy · 14/10/2015 18:18

You get 5p back from any bag you send back to Ocado - and they don't have to be Ocado plastic bags, they can be from anywhere.

They encourage you to recycle them but paying 5p per bag you send to be recycled.

The money from the bags you hand back is deducted off the bill of that delivery. If you don't intend having a second delivery you could always unpack quickly as the delivery person is there and send the back there and then.

They have always done the bag recycling thing - the only difference now is that they now charge 5p per bag delivery (as per the law) and you get 5p back for any bag recycled with them.

Hulababy · 14/10/2015 18:19

I think Ocado are working on a bagless delivery option, but as the process is all automated it is not something that can just happen immeditely - and it will only happen if there is enough demand

Tarzanlovesgaby · 14/10/2015 18:23

yanbu
especially with a home delivery I would expect 'no bags'. at all.
if already come in a crate so why not tip empty out the crate on the kitchen table and be done with it.

Buxtonstill · 14/10/2015 18:31

I popped into Sainsbury for a few things and spent 10p on 2 carrier bags last week. I gave them to the ocado driver who refunded them with the ocado bags from the week before. Worst case scenario, Ocado will owe you 20p until your next delivery, when you will be refunded...