To be annoyed at mandatory 5p carrier bag charge when there's no carrier bAg?

[PossumInAPearTree]

I know it's only 5p and I need to put here but I am slightly annoyed by the principle of it.

Ordering pizza from a well known national chain via their app, a mandatory 5p charge for a carrier bag was put on. I pick the pizzas up in store, no carrier bag. I jokingly say "where's my carrier bag". They say they don't have carrier bags.

I'm now puzzling over whether they'd just run out or never have them. But even if they did have them in, who on earth wants 4 big boxed pizzas in a carrier bag? I'm hardly going to carry them home vertically in a bag as they'd all slide into a mush.

If this store do t his to everyone they're making a fortune nationwide.

I'd call trading standards on that home bargains shop.

wankers I didn't want or need a bag so wouldn't take my own.

Yanbu. I carry my own bags now but everytime you use a self package machine at the beginning and end you have to click to say no bags. Once yes but twice in the same transaction is getting silly and its set as default as you have got bags!!!!!

The 5p charge is to reduce the amount of single use bags, they don't have to charge or report on thick plastic bags (I think). It's not meant to be reusable, it's meant to be a one off use bag when you've forgotten to bring your own. The point is to reduce usage of these bags, not to make life convenient.

I didn't realise the money goes to charity though so that makes me feel better.

I took my 15yo Dd to a cafe the other day which has a £5 entrance fee for adults and is cheaper for under 16s. I got charged for two adults but because the entrance fee is for a charity I didn't argue it.

If they really don't give an option OP then that doesn't seem right though I personally couldn't care as it's another drop of cash going to good causes.

That's bad they shouldn't charge for something you haven't got. I like Tesco shopping 40p for all the carrier bags for a whole months shop bargain, even more so when they use one bag per shower gel.

Well I've just done an online order with Tesco where you pay 40p per order for carrier bags. If I get more than 8 (which I usually do) I guess I'm winning.

I order my Tesco shop without bags and each time I still seem to get about ten bags anyway

I guess another customer somewhere is subsidising my supply of Tesco bags! Thank you, whoever you are.

I took my 15yo Dd to a cafe the other day which has a £5 entrance fee for adults and is cheaper for under 16s. I got charged for two adults but because the entrance fee is for a charity I didn't argue it.

A cafe has an entrance fee!!?

I never argue the toss about these things regardless if I don't have evidence on me. My 15 year old DS is over 6 foot, has a beard and could pass for about 25. It's just not worth the hassle.

It's a cafe full of cats. The entrance fee goes towards the cat rescue and rehoming side of the business. It's amazing.

They are at best incompetent and at worst deliberately committing fraud. You should demand a refund. The fact that it is for a tiny amount is largely irrelevant, as this case showed.

The plastic bag charge is the most stupid tax that the UK has ever introduced. Thanks, Dick (I beg your pardon, Nick) Clegg. No wonder the Lib Dems got smashed at the 2015 election given their insistence upon introducing the bag tax whilst in the coalition.

If the bag tax is meant to cut down on litter and pollution then you would charge £1 per bag but receive the money back if you returned the used bag to the shop later. People who are too selfish to dispose of their waste responsibly are not overly concerned about losing 5p. As ever, the honest citizen is made to suffer.

Well done, Lib Dems, genius plan of yours.

Lux, the charge has massively reduced the amount of single use bags used. It is a success and it's not a tax.

Ah OP, Cat cafe :) there is one in Edinburgh that I've been meaning to take a trip to for a while.

I had to pay 5p for a small bag when I bought a bra at M & S. I said I just wanted a small bag not a carrier, she said they are still 5p. I said if you have a small bag without handles they aren't subject to the 5p charge. She said yes they are, its the law.

I emailed M & S and they wouldn't accept that they choose not to stock small bags without handles and they could stock these bags if they choose.. They are using the scheme to save money on providing bags, who wants to walk through the shop with a bra on show? Well not me, I prefer my underwear to be private.

I told M & S that if they want to only stock carrier bags that attract the 5p charge they should be honest about it and not tell customers that it is the law that they have to charge 5p for all bags.

I avoid M & S now as they are dishonest in my opinion. I know its only 5p but I hate it when companies aren't honest.

I've already posted the link about what bags are exempt - not having handles isn't one of the criteria as far as I can see. I really can't stand the anger about paying 5p to good causes .

If you're having a home delivery from Tesco, why would it need to be delivered in bags? Mine is always brought into the kitchen in crates and put straight on the kitchen table?

"can't understand"

WankersHacksand Theives, for me it wasn't the 5p it was the lie.

This is what the gov.uk site says

Bags you charge for

You must charge at least 5p a bag (including VAT) for carrier bags that are all of the following:

unused - it’s new and hasn’t already been used for sold goods to be taken away or delivered
plastic and 70 microns thick or less
it has handles, an opening and isn’t sealed

WankersHacksandTheives, that bit I pasted was a link in your link. In the section for retailers.

I always get bags with my bagless tesfo delivery too. I have complained to tesco and it still happens. I make the delivery man wait wheither I take them all out and return them to him.

Ah, I missed the bit about handles. To be honest I don't think all retailers understand but you'd think a large company like M&S would have decent training of their staff.

Our local chippy does it in a really straightforward way. If you need a bag you either put the 5p straight in one of the charity boxes on the counter or they add it to your bill and they take 5p from the till and pop it in the box of your choice or into a box at random depending on what you want.

Tesco charged me for a bag which only had raw fish in once. I had thought raw meat, etc was exempt from the carrier bag charge but the woman said it wasn't. I suspect she was wrong.

I'm not having a home delivery. I'm doing the click and collect thing. Can't be doing with having 100+ items rolling about in my boot. Even if I took bags for life with me it would take an age to decant it from their boxes into my bags.

Possum, yes she was wrong re the fish. Also free if the fish is still alive! :o

Wouldn't it be cruel to put a live fish in a carrier bag?

I thought the idea with having carrier bags cost something was to make people only use one if they really need it?

Kinda pointless if you have to pay for them anyway, even if there aren't any!