To think supermarket deliveries shouldn’t be in plastic bags (OCADO)

[DingDongBella]

So I normally order online deliveries from Tesco who just put a basket full of groceries on your doormat which you can unload onto your own bags. This means no single use plastic, no bag charge and you can look at everything to make sure it is good quality before you accept it.
Today I used a 25% off code with free delivery to try Ocado. The delivery guy just dumped my entire shop on the doormat in bags. Each chilled item had its own bag so a small shop used 15 plastic bags, most of which were ripped so can’t be reused.
AIBU to think in this day and age supermarket deliveries shouldn’t be bagged in single use plastic?

I love ocado because they use bags! Hate getting a delivery and then having to stand at the communal flat door packing stuff into my own bags! (a lot of supermarkets won't bring things upstairs!)

My Tesco deliveries always have the meat and fish items in individual red plastic bags. I use them as bin liners for the bedroom and bathroom bins.

And if you don’t have room in the kitchen to put a crate…?

I actually think it’s a good idea, for people it works for. It wouldn’t work for me, and i don’t think it’s right to position it as “the most efficient way of doing things” when it isn’t for everyone.

On the issue of time, my Tesco driver brings the first crate up to my door and leaves me to unpack it whilst he goes back to the van to find the rest of my order. Once Tesco arrive I have a race to get to the door before they knock. I expected the same today with Ocado and was stood twiddling my thumbs for 5 minutes. The driver had to find every bag for my shop in one go. I really don’t think it takes Tesco longer.

Ocado take back and refund all their bags, even if unfit for reuse, the recycle. They also take back for reuse their cardboard wine bottle carriers.

They also take other plastic bags for recycling, which is handy if you don't have another recycling point for soft plastics locally

Much prefer Ocado. Having to unload everything while the driver waits is a real PITA.

This might seem a daft question, but why are you carrying the Tesco crates into your kitchen? I ask the delivery person to bring the crates through into my kitchen then they help me unload them onto my worktops.

I had not realised that some people have their deliveries left at the door. Is this a hang over from Covid or is there another reason? Am I the exception in getting my groceries brought into my house?

No I much prefer Ocado for using the bags. It’s so much easier to bring everything through the house and things are always organised according to contents. Then I hand back the bags from the previous week so I’m never really using more.

I hate when Asda just dump the crates in the porch and I have to struggle to get them through the house to unpack.

That's an individual driver thing - whether they're one who takes your bags out of the pallet in/near the van, or if they bring the whole pallet to your doorstep

I like the Ocado system, I wouldn't order from anywhere that didn't use bags.
I would hate the rush and pressure of having to pack each item on the doorstep while the driver waited.

Really, it doesn't matter if Ocado put only one or two items in a bag, because eventually all the bags will be returned to them via their buy back scheme.

I lament the day Waitrose stopped doing bags. It is such a faff having to unload the crates into other bags, then take those bags into the kitchen and unload for a second time. I also strained my back the other day from bending down to unload from the crates...... I now have to get down on my knees to upload the bloody things, grumble, grumble!

The bags can be recycled by Ocado, or by you. I use quite a lot in my food waste bin, which we can do here as they are biodegradable. Buying virgin biodegradable bags seems a waste of time and money, when you can use what you already have.

I like the Ocado system, I wouldn't order from anywhere that didn't use bags.
I would hate the rush and pressure of having to pack each item on the doorstep while the driver waited.

Really, it doesn't matter if Ocado put only one or two items in a bag, because eventually all the bags will be returned to them via their buy back scheme.

I live in a first floor flat with no lift and a lot of the drivers won't bring the shopping up.

But in this day and age why aren’t you using bags for life? Why are you acculturating single use bags to give to Ocado?

Usually I do, but sometimes I forget to take one with me and have to have whatever the shop has got.

Plus there are all the plastic bags used as packaging on mail order items (and some Amazon ones) which I didn't personally choose but still ended up with. And so yes, it's convenient to use Ocado as a means of recycling

I live in a converted house so I’m not on the ground floor. So when I get a Tesco delivery I have to bring down all my bags (that I saved from Ocado!). Then stand there on the doorstep packing it all, then kneeling down to pack the last couple of crates. As they put them in a pile on the step. All while the driver just stands there watching. Only then can I carry the bags upstairs to unpack.

With Ocado they just give me the bags and I carry them straight up. So much easier. I just hand them my excess bags, it’s easy.

what a surprise that not everyone has the same type of house as you!

I’m pleased Ocado use bags. I either hand them back or use them as bin bags.

A few weeks ago my shopping was delivered in bags. As I was unpacking I found items that I didn’t remember ordering. I then realised I had three bags of another persons shopping instead of my own - I suppose that wouldn’t have happened if they were using a bagless system!

It’s a surprise that not everyone is prepared to spend 5 minutes packing food into bags for life to do their bit to sabe the planet.

I wish Ocado delivered to my town, when Tesco stopped the bags again it really put me off.

But Ocado bags, are NOT single use. Ocado bags are recyclable, and are recycled. Just saving the planet in a different way. What do you use in your food waste bin??

It's really robots

I used to work for ocado. I can confirm that all the bags are recycled. It’s true that the automated system requires the bags. Hygiene is also a consideration.

Of course they are single use. They are used once then recycled. Recycling uses at least as much energy as producing a bag from scratch. It is not an excuse.
I put my food waste on my compost heap, no plastic required.

Why is it more hygienic for a person to put items in a bag rather than a box?

Because the boxes are often dirty and they are not sanitised between use. 🤪