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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think I don't really need forcing into caring for the environment?

46 replies

madetobeamum · 08/12/2008 08:47

I already care!

I went to Asda the other day and I had forgotten my resusable fetching dotty bags which I had paid £2 each for at Asda a week before. It wasn't that I forgot as such, it was that I finished work and went to pick my baby up, and took him and my mum to Asda on the way home (mum was coming to ours). I needed baby milk as he was starting to get a bit hungry and I had run out of cartons. I also got the tea, baby vests and a few other bits while I was there- so quite a bit, really.

When I got to the check out the cashier begrudgingly gave us one plastic bag. This was quickly filled and then all the stuff started going through and not getting packed. Everytime we asked her for a bag she huffed and puffed and gave us one. This was really slowing us down as she wouldn't even give us one bag each to be packing even though there was two of us. She was also letting things build up ridiculously before she would give us a bag. The baby started crying his eyes out and she was still going at snail pace refusing to give bags out.

We asked her why and she said she can only give bags out one at a time otherwise she 'gets it in the neck'.

I think if she was only going to give them out one at a time she should at least keep a check on when we need another one and actually give us one.

She said that soon bags would be 25p each and so I said I wouldn't be shopping there again and she said it's a government thing.

The next time I shopped there with my bought bags they were giving plastic bags out willy nilly. When I asked why they said they had run out of bags to buy so they had to give them out.

Consistency?

I am happy to buy reusable bags to save the environment but I don't want FORCING into yet another thing by this nanny state.

Morrisons are giving reusable bags out for free apparently, so why aren't Asda? If they're going to stop the plastic bags, they should give the reusable bags out for free. Or post out vouchers so that you can take them and get free ones, and when you've used your vouchers you have to buy the bags.

It's money grabbing is what it is!

OP posts:
cory · 08/12/2008 08:55

I can understand why you are angry at being moralised at and not getting enough bags. But why on earth should you be angry at being expected to pay for the bags? Makes good sense to me; few things in life are free, why should plastic bags be?

TheStarsAreShiningBrightly · 08/12/2008 09:04

I think we should all pay for plastic bags if we need them because people are very wasteful, however think YANBU.

It makes me mad how places like Asda get on their moral high horse and start preaching about the envirnment when it means they can pocket from charging for carrier bags. But when it comes to other unnessesary plastic packaging they have throughout their store, they don't do anything about it because there is no profit to be made.

I think if any store charges for carrier bags, they should be made to donate all profits to an envirnmental cause. I think WHSmith do this. That is the only way i will believe them charging for plastic bags is purely for envirnmental reasons rather than lining their own pockets and making themselves look all caring and good in the mean time.

Original poster
madetobeamum · 08/12/2008 09:06

Hmmm I see what you mean. It's not that I was annoyed at having to pay 25p per bag, but that she wouldn't give us them for free because she thought we should pay for them even though it hasn't come in yet.

But I think if they're going to take away the free plastic bag option, they should provide a certain amount of the others for free as I think £2 oer bag is extortionate.

OP posts:
cory · 08/12/2008 09:10

I think providing a cheapish kind of bag for 25p would be an ideal solution. In fact, this system was introduced in Sweden in the '70s or '80s and it's worked really well; people are more careful about bringing their own bags, but if you do forget/are unable to, there is still the option of getting a reasonably priced bag.

TheDevilWearsPrimark · 08/12/2008 09:11

Things seem to have changed very quickly with this.

Just last year I was infuriated by checkout staff in sainsburys who would put my shopping into plastic bags even when I had fabric ones with me. They seemed to have no idea.

Now they are all under the counter and they do indeed huff if you ask for one.

DoesntChristmasDragOn · 08/12/2008 09:13

A lot of people do need to be forced.

Get over it.

MrsSeanBean · 08/12/2008 09:15

I have Cath Kidston for Tesco bags spilling out of the car. But annoyingly you never have them with you when you pop in for just that one item (and end up buying 10). I carry a scrunched up Waitrose bag in my handbag now for emergencies. I would not carry an Asda bag out of principle

NowICanSpellGeansaiNollaig · 08/12/2008 09:28

We're about 2 yrs ahead of you with this one, and I was like this, constantly bagless at the wrong moment, but after a year or so of carrying out groceries in my jumper, I now finally remember to bring my bags to the supermarket. It's like bringing your money now. Just durr, of course! But it takes a while to re-train your brain to bring bags to the supermarket. I have a string bag in my handbag.

AndHeaVanAnnNatureSing · 08/12/2008 10:33

I don't agree with having to pay for plastic bags. It seems that the government/businesses are using the environment as an excuse to make money. 25p for a plastic bag??? No chance. If they're that bothered, they should find an alternative. Charging people for rubbish collections/plastic bags/using their cars etc is not the answer to the problem, it's just a great way for the powers that be to rake in extra cash.

MsSparkle · 08/12/2008 10:37

AndHeaVanAnnNatureSing completly agree with your post but alot of oil is used up making plastic bags. It's one of those things where there is an alternative so we should be using that instead. Agree that businesses are just using it as a money making ploy though.

mayorquimby · 08/12/2008 10:46

the plastic bag tax was introduced over here in ireland years ago and it has been imo a huge success. you don't have people taking a plastic bag in a shop for a carton of milk and a lion bar anymore because you never really needed one in the first place. this means that town especially you no longer have millions of plastic bags blowing around the streets or caught on tree branches.in general it has just made the place cleaner.

for the record i am one of the people who care very little about the environment so probably do need my hand forced or to be incentivised. i do however care about litter/ not having the streets resemble a rubbish dump so think this scheme has been one of the great successes.

nappyaddict · 08/12/2008 11:12

Just keep one in your bag for emergencies.

LadyGlencoraPalliser · 08/12/2008 11:22

Totally agree with MQ. The charge is not to make money for the government, it is to discourage people from using all those unnecessary bags. And as the Irish experience has shown, it really works. Eventually you get used to never going anywhere without an emergency fold-up bag in your handbag, it is not such a big deal really. Every time I visit Ireland now, I notice how much nicer things are without the plastic bags flying round everywhere.

Nighbynight · 08/12/2008 11:35

you will get used to taking your shopping bags with you after a while.

why on earth should you get free plastic bags anyway???

ISawMumiKissingSantaClaus · 08/12/2008 11:35

I have a reusable bag from almost every major supermarket now
But I remember to take them with me? Do I hell. However they are good for laundry and, er, keeping plastic bags in!

I carry a rucksack around almost permanently so I just put shopping in there, or carry it by hand if I can. I haven't had anyone tut and huff and puff on the rare occasion I haven't brought it, they don't seem bothered at all

KatieDD · 08/12/2008 11:38

CArrier bags always used to cost 5p back in 1980, it's a very recent thing that they are free, not that they are free of course the price of the supermarket's costs are added to the food, so i presume with this reduction in cost the food will be coming down accordingly ???

jeee · 08/12/2008 11:39

Complete waster with bags in England - and get annoyed at huffy check-out assistants counting out 2 bags for weeks supply of shopping. Strangely, though we manage fine in Ireland when we don't have the option of free bags. Could we be slightly hypocritical?

SexyDomesticatedDad · 08/12/2008 11:45

Discount places like Aldi / Lidl charge - its something we have got used to and a hard habit to break - can be a PITA though when you do forget.

For OP - it was clear the bags had been forgotten and just poor service from the cashier not to get enough out and just say - next time please remember your bags.

piscesmoon · 08/12/2008 11:52

Unfortunately people do need to be forced. I don't think they should hand out free bags.

mayorquimby · 08/12/2008 11:56

it is a hard habit to break. snd even though i think we started it in about 2001/2002 i was still getting complaints from people in the off-licence i worked in during college. always from the same regular customers despite the fact that the law had been there 4 years at the time. and others who you could see were just itching to complain about something.

MorrisZapp · 08/12/2008 15:03

I feel the opposite way, I'm frustrated that shops cave in and pander to people who do need to be forced.

Why should bags of any description be free? They're not a human right.

I haven't used placcy bags in years, and in fact much prefer using my lovely envirosax bags which weigh nothing, take up virtually nil space in my handbag, hold tons, feel comfy over my shoulder, and look lovely to boot.

I'll never go back to struggling with tine etc in shoddy and naff plastic bags.

www.ebags.co.uk/products/index.cfm?modelID=103442&Subcategory_Link=Details_Envirosax_103442

They make fab christmas pressies too.

LoveBeingAMummyKissingSanta · 08/12/2008 15:14

Can we all just remember for a second that bags are free because the price is added onto the cost of your shopping. Its why the cheaper shops, Aldi/lidl and Kwik Save (RIP), charge cause they don't add on the cost to your shopping.

I object to being made to ask/pay for a bag if I don't have one with me mainly because the people that now charge you for bags have not taken this cost off their prices so you are paying twice.

Plus their has been a lot of jumping on the bandwagon, you have to pay for a bag in WHSmith how stupid is that!!!!

jumpingbeans · 08/12/2008 15:21

These bags are not free, do you really think supermarkets actually give anything away..they treat us like we are thick twats, even the fuel 5p off, was a rip off, they just charged 5p more than the garage round the corner, i know, i went and checked, sad cow i am, nothing is free, they charge one way or abother

jumpingbeans · 08/12/2008 15:22

another even!

stillstanding · 08/12/2008 15:25

I feel your pain but still think YABU.

You may not need to be forced into caring but a lot of people do. And when you forget to bring your reusuable bags you need to be "penalised". You don't get points for remembering them most of the time, sorry.

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