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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

5p at Florist for a bag. AIBU?

98 replies

macarmahouse · 30/03/2019 17:31

I bought my mother a planter of flowers for £50 and paid with all the cash I had. I asked for something to cover it as my mum was in my car as I’d ferried her to an appointment. She said it’s too big for paper but I can give you a bag?

I said ooh great thanks! She said, 5 pence please? Oh I don’t have anymore change, ruffling through my handbag for some. She stood there holding the bag. So I said oh sorry I don’t have the 5p. Then she put the bag away and handed me the flowers.

I was a little bit taken aback but I do see it from her point of view. BTW I used to work in retail and we gave backs out willy nilly. I guess it is better for the environment.

AIBU to expect her to have said oh don’t worry, here you go, have the bag for nothing. £50 isn’t an insignificant amount to spend.

OP posts:
IceRebel · 30/03/2019 17:35

Surely even with the bag it would have been obvious what they were by the shape and smell. it would have been nice to receive a bag for free, but it would have been easier all round to collect the flowers without your mother.

GreyGardens88 · 30/03/2019 17:35

Don't they legally have to charge for it now?

NicoAndTheNiners · 30/03/2019 17:35

Independent florist or large chain one because if its a chain florist I think it's the law? If they have over so many employees?

dinkydolphin · 30/03/2019 17:36

She could have thrown in a bag! I would have been tempted to hand the flowers back and ask for my money back.

FourEyesGood · 30/03/2019 17:36

The 5p charge is the law, isn’t it?

TeaStory · 30/03/2019 17:36

If the company that runs shop is over a certain size she was obliged to charge the 5p by law...

PlainSpeakingStraightTalking · 30/03/2019 17:37

The law says the 5p charge only applies to business with over 250 employees. It also doesn't apply if you buy wet fish or an axe Hmm

Actually - they cant charge for plants

www.gov.uk/guidance/carrier-bag-charges-retailers-responsibilities#bags-youre-not-required-to-charge-for

Food and plants

You’re not required to charge for plastic bags that are solely used for:

unwrapped loose seeds
flowers
bulbs, corms or rhizomes (roots, stems and shoots, such as ginger).
goods contaminated by soil (like potatoes or plants)

TeaStory · 30/03/2019 17:37

*runs THE shop

Original poster
macarmahouse · 30/03/2019 17:37

Independent one.

I don’t think it would have been obvious as I was going to put it in the boot. My mum was sat in the car.

OP posts:
Sirzy · 30/03/2019 17:37

Well it worked as it stopped an unneeded bag being used

CheekyChappy710 · 30/03/2019 17:39

Wtf I would have asked for a refund of the £50. Youd soon have got a free bag.

TheGrey1houndSpeaks · 30/03/2019 17:39

If course she could have thrown in a bag. The law just requires the 5p charge, it doesn’t have to be paid by the actual customer. They could have chucked it in the till themselves considering they’d just made a fifty quid sale.

Alsohuman · 30/03/2019 17:39

It irks me when I buy something costing £100+ from John Lewis and they want me to pay for a bag. Wtf don’t they use paper ones? Even Primark have worked that one out.

GrumpyMummy123 · 30/03/2019 17:40

I thought it was law the 5p bag thing? But surely she could have been a bit more apologetic and had a rummage about for something else to use. But it is Mothers day so she was probably absolutely flat out and didn't have time to help more.

secretsciurusvulgaris · 30/03/2019 17:41

You know where not to take your business next time.

EmmaC78 · 30/03/2019 17:55

Could you have taken a bag with you? In Scotland the charge is compulsory so i always have bags with me. If i go in to a shop and forget a bag it feels odd to ask for one now.

PlainSpeakingStraightTalking · 30/03/2019 17:56

@grumpy

[https://www.gov.uk/guidance/carrier-bag-charges-retailers-responsibilities#bags-youre-not-required-to-charge-for]

Mrslouislou · 30/03/2019 17:57

after spending £50, I’d have assumed the bag was free too OP and I think if I were her, I’d have given it for free

dementedpixie · 30/03/2019 18:01

In Scotland we pay for any bags regardless of the size of shop/ amount of employees.

Widowodiw · 30/03/2019 18:03

Good on her I say. You didn’t end up with a plastic bag, that actually you ended up doing perfectly well without so avoided having an inecesaary piece of plastic. I’d say if your parked outside a florist with your mum
In the car she’s going to guyess you got her flowers anyway?!

FrancisCrawford · 30/03/2019 18:07

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

LittleCandle · 30/03/2019 18:12

Perhaps she didn't fancy paying a £20,000 personal fine for not charging you for the bag. Yes, SHE would get the fine, not the company she works for. So much as i might like my customers, I don't like them that much. YABU.

Original poster
macarmahouse · 30/03/2019 18:12

Sorry Scots, but I live in Wales, and we were first in the UK to bring in this law, before you and NI and England. Wink

OP posts:
Lockheart · 30/03/2019 18:14

YAB a bit U. Bags cost money, it doesn't matter if what you've bought is £5 or £500. You should also carry your own reusable bags Wink

However I agree that 5p wouldn't have broken the bank for the florist, although she is in no way obligated to give you a free bag!

I have to agree with other posters that if your mum was sitting outside whilst you were in a florists on the day before Mothers Day and then you come out with a bag it would hardly be the shock of the century for her to find out you'd bought her flowers.

Subtle it was not.

sweeneytoddsrazor · 30/03/2019 18:15

A retailer cant just chuck the money in themselves. What would have happened if the OP was a mystery shopper checking the shop was complying with the law. As for Primark bags they are absolutely hopeless.