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Original poster

M&S are to charge 5p per carrier bag

86 replies

jenk1 · 28/02/2008 08:32

here

OP posts:
mummypig · 28/02/2008 08:33

good for them

ruddynorah · 28/02/2008 08:34

oh please! m&s are not joining any bliimin daily mail campaign, it's been part of the plan for AGES. the mail thinks it's spear heading something here...jumping on the bandwagon more like.

WaynettaSlob · 28/02/2008 08:35

About bloody time.

they started charging for bags in Ireland ages ago and it's made a huge difference there.

Blandmum · 28/02/2008 08:36

They have already trialed it in Northern Ireland, and got a 70% reduction in the take up of bags in their food halls

Buda · 28/02/2008 08:39

I do agree that it is HIGHLY unlikely that M&S have decided this purely down to the DM campaign but I have to say that any publicity for this campaign is good in my view. I am Irish and am very proud that we were one of the first countries to introduce this. It has made a huge difference. And here in Hungary most of the supermarkets charge for bags - except Tesco and Auchan.

hatrick · 28/02/2008 08:44

This reply has been deleted

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hatrick · 28/02/2008 08:46

This reply has been deleted

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happystory · 28/02/2008 08:48

Thats awful, hatrick. If they want to encourage this policy, they need to retrain their security guards.

Buda · 28/02/2008 08:49

hatrick - that is bad and you should have complained.

In Ireland now all shops are used to the no bag thing. Even in clothes shops they will not automatically give you a bag but ask if you need one - clothes shops give paper bags.

Furball · 28/02/2008 08:49

I'd rather pay 10p and get a bag for life - those carrier bags are sooo flimsy they don't last long. But yes, good for M & S, hope they don't have the local girl guides or whoever trying to raise money by doing your packing like they do in Sainsburys and just put one thing in each bag!

ruty · 28/02/2008 08:51

that's horrible hatrick. Silly man. Yes in most of Europe you get charged for bags, and people bring their own. Good thing i think.

ConfusedMover · 28/02/2008 08:57

About time too, all shops should do it.

DualCycloneCod · 28/02/2008 08:59

I see ti as a major chance for retail therapy of small bags to use as carriers

prettybird · 28/02/2008 09:18

I already keep a rolled and tied up "ordinary" M&S bag in my hand bag to re-use when I visit M&S at lunchtimes. A bag for life would actually be more difficult for me to keep on a "casual" basis as it is more bulky.

I use "old" bags for all my weekly shops (weekly at Lidl, fornightly at Sainsbury's), use old plastic bags to line our kitchen bin and stll we never seem to run out.

brightwell · 28/02/2008 09:25

Heard on the radio that M & S will be giving away bags for life in April

oxocube · 28/02/2008 09:27

They have done for years in Holland. 20 cents per bag. Think its only common sense. My mum throws loads of bags away at home and always takes a couple of new ones from the supermarket every time she goes.

saltire · 28/02/2008 09:28

I think it's a good idea. We have a lot of those bag for life bags that shops issue, which stay in the car for if we go to a supermarket. I use Asda home delivery though, and get a lot of carrier bags. We do take them back, Asda have a recycling place for bags, plus they get used for rubbish

MrsFogi · 28/02/2008 09:35

They'd be better off reducing the massive amount of packaging on their fruit and veg before boosting their profits by charging us for carrier bags (I know they are donating to charity but no doubt they will offset this against their tax bill, reduce the donation to pay themselves for the "cost" of the bags etc).

Callisto · 28/02/2008 09:44

M&S are committed to reducing packaging and using biodegradable packaging. They are spending a lot of money on R&D into corn starch packaging. They are also about the most ethical supermarket as all of their chocolate, tea and coffee, banana's etc are ethically sourced, their fish is all sustainably caught and so on. Stuart Rose genuinely believes in reducing the company's carbon footprint. It isn't just getting onto the green bandwagon.

MerlinsBeard · 28/02/2008 09:47

its hardly a new thing. Kwik save did this years ago. except they charged 7p per small bag that fell apart on teh way to the car

Threadworm · 28/02/2008 09:51

I've now bought four permanent bags because I can never frigging remember to take them with me when I go out. Am creating a new environmental prob all on my own.

Think I'm getting into it now though. And feel very that I used plastic bags all those years. They are vile things.

Is 5p enough though? Esp fpr people who are prepared to pay way over the odds for M&S food?

noddyholder · 28/02/2008 09:53

good we are all far too wasteful I am forever forgetting my bags but this story has kicked me up the bum and I am putting them in the car now

MerlinsBeard · 28/02/2008 09:54

just like to point out that my local M&S food does NOT charge for carriers at the moment despite what the man said this morning. Maybe its just in their larger stores

VictorianSqualor · 28/02/2008 09:55

Good, it's really not that hard to remember to take a bag of some sort with you when you go out, and if by chance you are caught short then paying for them might make you think more, it's just habit you need to get into really.

Having said that I'm with threadworm on the price of them, is 5p really enough? I mean you're more likely to forget bags when you pop in for a loaf of bread than do your weekly shop so will probably only buy one bag making it not really matter iyswim.

Oliveoil · 28/02/2008 09:57

I have one of these in my bag all the time

folds up small in its own little case