People still buying bags when shopping

[Auburngal]

It's 8.5 years since the bag charges were introduced in England (Oct 4 2015) and longer for other parts of the UK. My friend's DS was born on that day and she has pointed out he was born on the same day bag charges were introduced in England and people are shocked.

Why do people still not come shopping without bags? See the same faces most days at work buying bags. "Left the bags in the car" - pack at the car then!

If people buy on average 10 bags at 30p each per week at supermarkets, shops like B&M, Poundland - that's £156 a year. People don't look at the price as a whole they think "its only 30p".

Then see people down my road using brand new carrier bags for rubbish. Bin bags are cheaper (per unit), bigger and able to tie them up properly.

Then my work is opposite a few other shops - see customers buy two items and buy a bag from us when they have room in another shop's bag they just purchased from. What's that about?

The number of times I have bought bags is in single figures. For example - buying a coat - none of the bags I had were big enough. Brought 2 bags with me and one broke - it wasn't the retailer's bag in question. So couldn't get the replacement free.

Please stop buying bags. Fold one up inside your handbag. I am ok with those who bought more than they intend and don't have room in their own bags they have brought with them.

Taking your own bags is a simple way to help with CoL.

I’m always forgetting bags, and then buying them. I don’t mind the cost.🙂

Phone has a card holder attached for my driving license and a debit card (just in case phone isn’t accepted). I put that in my back pocket - where I used to keep my wallet before phones took over - and my keys in my front pocket. Won’t buy clothes without useable pockets. Try it. It’s really freeing.

@Auburngal I understand exactly what you mean. I worked in retail before reusable bags were a thing and you didn't have to pay but I was still bemused by the amount of bags customers used to insist on. They wouldn't even consider putting the one item they were buying from my shop in a bag with the one item in the bag from the shop next door.
However....I am guilty of forgetting bags all the time.
Sorry 🙂
What makes me laugh is the people that still act surprised that you have to pay for bags. Almost a decade on and many people still seem shocked 😂

Well, I agree with you, OP.

We have plenty of bags, and take them with us when we go shopping.

I always keep one in my handbag, too.

DH, on the other hand, generally forgets, and buys another one if he pops out for milk etc. I wish he'd remember that we've got bags in the store cupboard.

Overall, the bag charge has massively reduced the use of plastic bags in supermarkets. You really don't need to worry that it's not 100% perfect. Some people are less organised, don't have stable predicable lives, don't care, or whatever other reason they have for buying bags. But in general it's been hugely successful.

A lot of environmental stuff is swings and roundabouts. People are great in some areas but less good in others. I am brilliant at not using plastic bags, but my aviation footprint less so, for example. Maybe the bag buyers hardly ever fly 🤷‍♂️

Occasionally forget - maybe about once a year.

What amazes me is that when I am in a socially deprived area (notably near my office) - nearly every customer buys bags - near home, far more affluent, maybe about 1 in 10.

I reuse bags all the time.

Rarely throw any away.

So if I need one, I buy one

I am a bit, now they're mostly paper ones.

I think they should be considered part of the overheads again (which the customer pays for)

I probably buy 5 carrier bags a week. I reuse them at home

@Nanny0gg where are they mostly paper ones?
Primark and Waterstones are the only ones I can think of.
Ironically I have often had to nip into Poundland to buy a bag because the Primark one has fallen apart as I have barely walked down the road 😂

I can't understand it either. What a waste of money. The only time I've bought a bag is from poundland when I wanted to use it as a gift bag.

@Needmorelego M&S and Boots are paper now

On the very odd occasion that I forget my shopping bags, I just take one, I don't pay for it

@Sidebeforeself oh I didn't know that.
(I never shop at Boots or M+S though)
Iceland and Morrisons had paper ones for a while but seem to have gone back to plastic.

I take bags whenever I go to the supermarket. When I go to town I usually forget, or just don't mean to buy anything but then do. Sometimes I'll have a rucksack with me so will fill that up, but will buy bags if I need to.

I have far far too many bags. No matter how many I get rid of there are still millions. I think they breed in the cupboard they are in. Like rabbits.

I've used reusable bags for about 20 years I think so it's a pretty ingrained habit to carry in one somewhere, but if I forget then all the supermarkets I use have a pile of cardboard boxes from the stock room available. Or I just juggle. I don't do giant weekly shops though.

I blame Poundland mostly. You KNOW you don't need another bag. You KNOW this is costing you a quid but.....they keep bringing out new ones with cute kittens or puppies on. You get hypnotised by a pic of something cute and fluffy and you suddenly realise you need another bag.
If they were plain and boring I wouldn't buy nearly as many.
(yes I know Poundland actually do this on purpose)

I don't carry a handbag.
I use my new bought shopping bags as bin liners.
I like buying new carrier bags.

We were moaned at by a couple in the queue in sainsburys on our recent holiday in the UK, sorry we didn’t bring carrier bags on our holiday abroad.

I am ok with those who bought more than they intend and don't have room in their own bags they have brought with them.

You’re being too lenient OP.
Those people that have bought more than their bags can hold should be sent back home to empty the bags they have. Only then will they be allowed back to collect the remainder of their shopping.
Time to tighten up OP.

@Aussieland

the reduction in the use of 'single use' plastic bags has been impressive. Ok so not 100% but very good.

but that is not what this thread is about, it's simply the OP preaching about saving money.

sticking her beak into other people's business.

it has understandably got people's backs up, & they're responding by saying they'll do as they please.

That’s single use bags though which shops very rarely sell now. Where’s the figures for bags for life?

Well I took a bag with me and obviously managed to drop it somewhere today. Shock, horror, I bought a bag!

@Simonjt I often end up paying for a few extra bags when on holiday because I realise I will need to put soggy swimming clothes/muddy shoes/dirty clothes back in the suitcase to travel home.
I could take some with me of course.....but I'm not that organised 🙂

I agree OP. Usually it’s young men at the till who can’t be bothered to bring a bag and so keep buying ‘bags for life’. No cost of living crisis for some!