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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

to think using FRENCH bags for life is poncery?

185 replies

SCargot · 10/12/2009 14:06

in the Uk natch.

OP posts:
Bonsoir · 11/12/2009 10:36

In the UK social segmentatation ("class divisions") are highly visible everywhere - supermarkets, schools, type of house etc.

But that doesn't mean that there aren't class divisions in other countries - in France there are plenty of them, they just manifest themselves differently. I suspect that the reason that the supermarkets haven't differentiated themselves so much here is that the domestic service economy is still alive and well, and that the equivalent of your average Waitrose customer in the UK gets her maid to do the shopping.

JeffVadar · 11/12/2009 10:47

I just got a bit upset that someone might be dissing Casino . Where we holiday in Brittany it is the nearest supermarket, so that's where we go.

I still think it knocks spots of British supermarkets, especially in the range of fresh produce; you can buy three different types of white fleshed peach and it has special misters to keep the lettuces just right (sighs nostalgically).

Poppity · 11/12/2009 10:56

I have some Japanese ones, they are woven

Poppity · 11/12/2009 10:57

and pink, surely I am a superior ponce?

OtterInaSkoda · 11/12/2009 11:16

That is quite Poncey, Poppity

FWIW I think any supermarket with a "Taste the Finest Best Difference" range is common, and that includes Morrisons (although I love Morrisons). It implies that the rest of their stuff is crap.

Waitrose is clearly the poshest of the widespread supers though, granted.

I don't think Le Mutant do carriers. I would like one muchly

StAnne · 11/12/2009 11:16

Poppity Yes I love Japanese bits and pieces

charlotteolivia · 11/12/2009 11:47

I saw a very sloaney middle aged woman on the district line the other day with a hessian typr bag that was advertising a butchers! had a cow stiched on!!

comfortablynumb · 11/12/2009 17:45

Xenophobic if not unreasonable. Had you looked closely you might have noticed how they are roomy, well-built and with essential little loops for holding bottles of wine. They are also incredibly cheap in the supermarkets - mere euro cents instead of the pounds supermarkets charge over here. Inverted snobbery anyone ?

Riponite · 12/12/2009 20:29

When my American mother-in-law comes over here (often) she loads up with Sainsburys bags for life and takes them back to give to her friends who are all wild about the sophistication and take them to the farmers' market. She must have exported about fifty by now.

echt · 13/12/2009 02:46

Our DD is mortified when we use the M&S, Sainsbury's bags for life, but hasn't cottoned on to Pam from NZ; we're in Oz.

dilbertina · 13/12/2009 06:13

So, can I get away with just getting everyone French bags for Christmas? [hopeful emoticon)

ninedragons · 13/12/2009 06:26

I have Lao bags for life. They're the ultimate in backpacker ponce.

fairylightsgliMMErontheLINDTen · 13/12/2009 09:41

In the interest of research a tidy cellar, I dragged all my bags out yesterday and folded them. I can report that the best ones are the Carrefour ones, they fold easily without much swearing. The Champion ones are ok but require an Origami course, and the ones from Attac get balled up in a fit of rage and thrown in the corner.

Justa
Will send you one of the nice Carrefour ones on Monday.

willow · 17/12/2009 12:29

I mix and match my Corsica bags for life with my Asda ones. Glamsual, that's me.

willow · 17/12/2009 12:30

Fwiw, the Corsica ones are far better quality. Can shift tons in them without losing feeling in fingers. Hence fact they are still with me - eighteen months later.

FolornHope · 17/12/2009 12:31

lol iu thoguht of this thread the other day as i found a noN brand centre parcs one

corriefan · 17/12/2009 12:44

I've got a french on from PROXI (?) from our hols 2 years ago. It says "Proche de la vie et complice de la nature" on it. I've kept it and always use it with other British bags for life. It sounds daft but I like using it it reminds me a little bit of times I've spent in France and it's a bit different. It has never occured to me it was a 'thing' people do or a class type thing to be judged by, how odd!

MrsBadger · 17/12/2009 13:01

I thougth of this thread today in Tesco

spotted 8 international bag-for-life ponces, mostly Fr, including me

sparechange · 17/12/2009 13:17

I use carrefour ones
We got them a few years ago and I haven't really seen the point in throwing them out
I wonder if UK supermarkets will replace them? Waitrose replaced a tatty old Sainsburys one for me...

5Foot5 · 17/12/2009 13:29

I can understand why someone might want to keep using the bag that reminds them of their holidays.

We went to the Isles of Scilly this year and I saw someone with a "Scilly Old Bag" and I would have loved one of those but unfortunately never managed to find one while I was there. If I had I would definitely be using that for the shopping.

corriefan · 17/12/2009 13:39

Ooh I love the Scillies! Spent every summer there as a kid and went again more recently and it still has its magic! Not the Scillonian though, could do without that! Sorry off topic!

BeingSoFullofFestiveCheer · 17/12/2009 13:43

I've got two French bags for life, which I have used every week for SEVEN years and are only just showing signs of being on the way out.

Tesco Sacs de vie last an average of two months.

That's why I use mine. And i don't care if you think its poncey, so there

GetOrfMoiLand · 17/12/2009 14:05

Is anyone else playing forrin bag for life bingo whilst Christmas shopping?

Saw some lovely ones in Waitroe yesterday - one a carrier bag from the Musée d'orsay. Poncerama.

willow · 20/12/2009 21:37

Am loving my Bryer stores one, right now.

nighbynight · 20/12/2009 21:52

FFS
I use french ones (in germany) because they are better than anything else I have found.

they are stylish and made of incredibly strong and long-lasing woven plastic.

Stop being so insular!!