to tell everyone to return the Tesco Bags For Life

[swg1]

Can we talk about Tesco's Bags For Life because it's pissing me off.

So, everyone agrees that people using and chucking away carrier bags is an issue. Awesome! Government introduces a charge on all plastic bags. Tesco still offers the 5p bags but also 10p bags for life that they promise to replace forever. Good strong bags, nice strong handles. Great!

A while later they quietly get rid of the 5p bags. Fine.

Except now, having clearly realised that most people don't care enough to return a 10p bag, they've changed the design of the Bags For Life. Gone are the nice strong separate handles, instead we have holes in the bag itself which are nowhere near as strong. The plastic itself is much thinner. I've had these die after one use on some occasions. Yes, it's only 10p but it's also one more useless piece of plastic which I'm sure is because they know no-one will call them on their Bags for Life guarantee -- and the amount who do isn't enough to cost them more than they save with cheap nasty bags.

the vast amount of people going to Tesco are buying the bags for life, using them twice and then chucking them

Not in my experience. Most people I see have the heavier types of bags which cost £1 and use them for years.

I've been using cloth bags for over 15 years and am looking into paper bin liners. We need to get a grip on this plastic situation and we could all cut down. It all makes a difference.

I'd noticed the stealth quality drop as well (my mum does take bags for life at their word and returns them when they go).

I can't stand the flipping hessian bags - they take up so much space in my tiny car boot and I am sick to death of having half my car boot taken up with bloody shopping bags on the off chance I end up in Tesco that day. If I go shopping and end up with a bootfull of filled bags = fine - but having my boot permanently jammed up on the offchance I'm going to go in there pisses me off no end.

I've stopped shopping at Tescos for this reason actually - because sometimes I 'get caught short' as it were and don't have any bags on me but need to get a few things.

I'd prefer to pay for a 5p bag rather than 10p a non-strong failing "not a bag for life". which is more plastic anyway as you say.

When they brought in the plastic bag charge here in NI I thought it was going to be the same as in ROI where though you pay for plastic bags in the likes of the supermarket all the other shops give you a paper bag for your purchases which can nthen go in the recycling which is so much better.

I also now have to buy bin bags so no less plastic used, just less convenient.

LightAsTheBreeze hadn't thought of this but a fair point!

I've carried boxes of stuff home from supermarket, probably easier than walking home with carrier bags in my hands.

I read an article comparing the carbon footprint of bags recently. I can't remember exactly but I think you needed to use a bag for life 50 times for its carbon footprint to be equal to the 5p bag, and as most people also used the 5p ones at least twice then you can double that. Cotton ones needed to be used a ridiculous amount of times.
So while obviously helpful in terms of litter/ plastic waste they do need to be reused for years in terms of the environmental cost of producing them.

I use Ikea bags for everything - you do get the occasional duff one, but I fit 2-3 up the trolley, then just hoik them up and into the boot (tying the long straps to stop it rolling around - I used to have really ancient ones with a popper, but the new ones don't have it)

I find the heavy duty bags for life just too annoying - not really big enough to be worth it, and the attached handles cut into my hands too much.

Speaking of Ikea bags, somewhere, I got a mini one - the same shape as the big guys, but more handbag sized. I loved it, used it as a nappy/picnic bag/whatever - but I've never seen them again, and kick myself for not buying more. I got a smaller one recently, but it's not the right shape, so not as convenient.

I got some from Waitrose that fold into a drawstring pouch. I keep two in my handbag and one in the nappy bag and I have only had to buy carrier bags once (when I went a bit crazy in M&S)

Their new bags are shit!!

I dropped my shopping in the car park just lifting it out from the trolley to the car. The woman at the checkout told me to be careful, so I was about to put my other arm under it as I lifted it out and before I got the chance both handles broke!!

I went back into Tesco's and complained and they kindly replaced all my broken shopping and gave me 2 new bags.

If they're not strong enough to hold a decent amount of shopping, maybe they shouldn't bother selling them at all?

I like the Sainsbury's orange ones. And Ikea ones see great too.

On principle i have never paid for a shopping bag.
When sainsburys brought in bags for life about 20 years ago they were free for a few days so i stocked up when i went shopping. Since then have had them given to me also vouchers for free bags for life. Also given cloth bags by people and organizations. ALWAYS take bags for life back when they split.
My supply will probably see me out. Old thin bags acquired before the 5p charge are stored for bins but they last for years in my small waste baskets because i empty rubbish into main bins and leave the bag in the waste basket.
Also use those charity bags for kitchen bin as well as those big bags that online shopping come in so have not bought bin liners for nearly 10 years!

I just get a Tesco delivery twice a week - no need for any bags.

Google 't-shirt tote bag' and make some out of clothes you no longer wear. No sewing, just scissors and making knots. I made one put of an old Mr Tickle tshirt that no longer fits and 6yo made one out of a Superman tshirt.

In Lidl/Aldi i use their boxes, if we go by car. Otherwise we use bags for life (big proper ones), tshirt bags or the strawberry bags like weezol linked - some of mine are 10years+.

I'm in EU and nowhere does the hessian bags. A friend did gift me a Tesco one but it's an unweildy bugger and i don't like it. I use it for all kinds of shit, hoping it'll die it scratches my legs when i'm wearing shorts

Bags for life make great beachbags!

DisturbinglyOrange were the luttle Ikea ones yellow? Ours have giant blue bags, smaller yellow ones, about pram-bag sized.

Tiger were selling lovely string bags when j popped in last week. I must buy a new one because the kids are using the old ones for footballs.

My OH kept using bags for life as bin bags.
I pointed out that they were bloody expensive bin bags at 10p a pop.

I don't like bags for life much. I prefer the ones that cost 50p because you can get a decent amount in them and they last a long time.

I also have a Trolly Dolly (don't know if they still do them) I bought it about 10 + yrs ago and its genius. You get a handbag sized bag full of washable nylon bags and net bags for fruit. I love mine.

They’re shit and the old 5p bags could be used in kitchen caddies for kitchen recycling in our area. Not so 10p bags.

The 5p bags were much better for the environment and more useful round the house than either of the 10p bag designs. I'd willingly pay 10p to go back to those, tbh. And yes, I do have proper reusable bags too.

I'm forever forgetting to take mine into the shop with me.

I'm also totally not bothered if I bring a different shop's bag. Are people really embarrassed about that?

I also now have to buy bin bags so no less plastic used, just less convenient.

Exactly.

Argh! They've changed the bags??! I've got some that need replacing and very occasionally if I discover they are ripped or whatever at the check out will get it replaced but won't replace them with inferior ones. I like the M&S strong bags. They cost a lot more but will last years.

Tesco do give the money to charity, it's done via grassroots and charities apply for a grant for eco projects and if shortlisted can get £1k, £2k or £5k I think.

Tesco won’t deliver without bags to flats so I when I use them I end up with loads of the old thin type, often without handles and too small to even use as bin bags total annoyance.
Amazon fresh have awesome strong paper bags which are great for taking the recycling down in. Wish everywhere had them but I suppose too bulky for self service checkouts

@swg1 do you have pockets on the back of the front car seats?