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?

With crate only deliveries I have to bend down a lot and get dizzy. Can't go on worktop as it was scratched by a crate once and DH was not happy!

But they already have the crates. The point is surely that rather than putting plastic bags in the crates, they just don't. That is Ocado. Don't know about other supermarkets.

Waitrose always deliver into the kitchen, and usually unpack it too or stand fussing my dogs while I do - depends on the driver!

Crates don’t have to be washed and sanitised between each delivery when you use plastic bags to carry the food. So the use of carrier bags saves a lot of crate washing water, soap, sanitising solution, and the heat generated to dry them afterwards. Plus prevents spillages in the delivery vans, meaning less frequent need to wash out the inside of the vans.

OK I except that but some people were saying that they keep their own crates at home and swap them.
I like my shopping in bags because I usually have a large shop and can empty the non fridge stuff at my leisure. I do not want it all over the place.
The fact that Ocado is automated from a dark store means that the stuff doesn’t go on to the supermarket floor first so is much fresher.

I love ocado,and as pp have said it is all taken into account, so instead of five minute pissing around lugging huge crates it takes 30 seconds to unload the shopping efficiently and hygienically, those crates that Asda and co. use always look suspect to me , don't know if they are thoroughly cleaned but I suspect not. It must mean they can do many more deliveries in one day from one van, plus the bags are taken back and recycled.( I know the food is in crates in ocado but because the food is in bags it doesn't touch the grubby looking crates). last week I had an Asda because I couldn't get an ocado, the milk had been packed at the bottom underneath heavy stuff and burst soaking everything,thus a crate wasted instead of a small bag , that must happen a lot contributing to a lot more rejected stock , and more food waste.

You've made a lot of assumptions, such as "no carrier bags means their automated warehousing system cannot be used", as though the whole operation is automated, which it's not. Picking each order is done by humans, and the lack of carrier bags would make no difference to that.

Another assumption is that removing carrier bags from the operation would mean "massive warehouses heated to human Health & Safety minimum temperature", as though not having carrier bags as part of their operation means they'd suddenly have to introduce people to the warehouses as part of the operation. There are already humans working in the warehouses as it is, and the warehouses are not heated up for their comfort. Obviously. Half of the warehouse is basically a massive refrigerator. The other half is just ambient, with no heating.

You recognise that Ocado has a lot of robotics in its operation, but you think the removal of carrier bags would all of a sudden mean that there would be "humans running around and gathering food". No, because all of the robotics would still be there, including the robots that are moving the products to where they need to be within the warehouse. Literally the only difference would be that the person packing an order would put the items directly into the crate instead of into a bag in the crate. Well, that and the bagging machines would no longer have a purpose!

Bags for life are not the solution though. It’s better to have recycled bags on a closed loop system. Before bags for life you could get biodegradable bags.

Also when single use carriers were stopped sales of bin liners went up. So there is no actual gain or at least not as much as expected.

People moan about shopping bags but totally let shite like this slide... If only the item had natural protective layer....
https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/303675912

I use Ocado, you fold the bags, place them in another bag and they take them with the next order. They also take other bags to recycle. I prefer this to having to mess about unpacking and re-packing, and unpacking.

If you read the website you will see that they recycle. They answer all questions on there, one way or another.

I open the door as soon as the van arrives so the driver can start loading into the hall when they arrive. They either ring the bell or call out.

I like that they phone if they are early so I can just get it all inside and unpacked. I suspect they get a fair number of miserable buggers to deal with so make it as easy as possible for them.

They're looking to change their current system because of so many complaints about wet shopping.

its annoying when boxes of food are wet because you have to decant them. You can't just store them as they are.

it's bad enough having to wipe all the other containers down

ocado have a good returns/recycling system for bags, so no, it's not that bad. Plenty of worse things to work on before that.

Would you shop in store or go with a different company? Who else still delivers in bags?I complained a LOT when it first started, but over time I've developed a system that works for me.

@MenorcaMarguerite

paoer bags aren't environmentally great either. Plenty online if you're interest in why.

@CuteOrangeElephant

its great if you have somewhere to directive crates. I don't. My place is tiny & no outside space to store them either.

glad it works for you though. It is a simple solution when it works.

I have one hour slots with Tesco it's not an issue at all.

@StockpotSoup I used Ocado occasionally when the partnered with Waitrose and had put some bags in a cupboard which I'd forgotten about. The joy when I found them!! They're great for all the things we all used to use supermarket bags for! Giving things to people you don't see often, wet swimming stuff, putting shoes or beach kit in when you don't want to take good'. bags.

icado ines are really strong too and it takes a LOT to rip them so I find it highly unlikely they were all ripped!!

@BethDuttonsTwin

Can you not find a delivery service that delivers to YOUR door?

im not physically capable of doing it the way you do.

I imagine because Ocado don't stop by to pick up your bags for life then handpick your shopping into them🤔

It did me too, but I bought several plastic baskets and I put the shopping into thise and done bags for life & it works for me, in my situation.

when I was incapacitated after my accident & surgery all the delivery people were incredibly helpful.

I love Ocado and their bags. Much easier to get the shopping in, and I use them afterwards. I wish the other supermarkets would do it.

Our guy brings it to the door and puts it just inside, DH hands him a roll of bags. Total time under a minute.

Haven't read the full thread yet, but it's now 10p a bag that is refunded to you when you hand them back. You always used to be able to hand in bags from other supermarkets too (not sure if this is still a thing).

The only supermarkets I haven't used are Sainsbury's and Asda - the rest bring the shopping to the flat door and no further.