Paying for carrier bags.

Oh yes. That would be boring.

But then I could request they wrap my parcel for me. In the name of decent customer service.

Well I can tell you what would happen up here jingle, (Scotland). They would ask you if you wanted to purchase a bag & if you declined then you'd just have to carry it home without one.

They don't put it in for you, you have to do that yourself!

Look forward to hearing the outcome though...

I think I need to go to Marks and Sparks tomorrow and buy the bulkiest and most expensive overcoat they have in the shop. Just to find out what happens when I offer them my little old nylon shopping bag to put it in (I would get a refund on Thursday. I don't need a new coat.)

I have been feeling the need for an adventure.

I'm a bit scared to admit at the moment that I work in retail! Everything has gone smoothly so far with the vast majority of people bringing their own bags. There has been a good comeraderie spirit, we're all in the same boat. Don't forget even shop assistants have to do shopping too. We're just following government orders. Soon we won't think twice about it.

For years I did a weekly shop and thought nothing of using their free carrier bags. When the use and disposal of these bags was highlighted several years ago I was horrified to realise I had used about 13 of them each shop. (Not that they were ever just thrown out, we used them as bin bags etc). That made me change the way I shopped and since then have always used my own bags, quite large heavy cotton ones from M & S. We never go shopping now without a couple of carriers in a pocket or handbag. It's a no-brainier really. There are lots of complicated rules about who can give out free bags now. I read somewhere that clothes shops use a different type of plastic and they will be free so anyone who buys an expensive item of clothing will get one. Don't expensive dresses etc come complete with a box? Wouldn't know, I usually get clothes from Sainsbury's now!

Probably the hot Cornish pasty burned a hole in the bag?

Why didn't you do that at the time?

I love Greggs and the people who serve us are very nice and hard working.

We were in there today and within seconds of buying bread there was a big hole in the 5p plastic bag we bought, before we had even left the shop.

OK we should have brought our own shopping bags because we knew the charge was coming in today. However even though the plastic bag is cheap, it still needs to be fit for purpose and Greggs is not so we should hand it back and get one that is fit for purpose.

In France they have been charging for years in many supermarkets. The bags are more expensive than UK but they are also far superior - a reinforced plastic with fabric handles and a lot larger. I am a bit OCD I realise but I fold them up each time I have used them and keep a couple in the car and others folded in my basket. They are nicely decorated and in most cases the name of the supermarket is quite discreet.

We bought some Waitrose canvas bags because they stand squarely when you fill them.
We take them wherever we go food shopping (Waitrose, Lidls, Morrison's, M&S, Aldi etc etc) because we do the rounds.

I think they have just got used to it in Wales.

I'm enjoying seeing shop assistants' faces when their products go into a rival's bag

Snooty assistant in Coast looked like she was going to faint or have apoplexy when my purchase went into a Primark paper carrier bag!

Free paper bag in Joules today, came in useful,for my Jaegar trousers and matching Mint Velvet top as the assistant looked decidedly sniffy about my DGS's nursery cloth bag!

I find it shocking how many people on facebook complain about the 5p charge,yet some people think nothing of spending £50-£60 a night in a pub or club. I have been paying for carrier bags as long as I can remember. I am from Germany and in the 70's we paid 10 Pfennig (which I'm sure is more than 5p) . My mother never went without a bag or wicker shopping basket and her local supermarket supplies brown papaer bags. Like all the handmade shoppers by the way

A great idea to keep one of those strong paperbag with string handles separate in the other bag for clothes- so easy once you get used to it, honest.

Bought a Coast dress yesterday in Debenham's and was handed it, wrapped carefully in tissue, in a substantial (free) carrier with string handles.
Here in Scotland, I'm happy to buy the occasional bag if I know the proceeds go to charity, but always have a little fold-up bag.
Makes you realise how fortunate we are if such a trivial issue causes such an uproar!
If Wales, N Ireland and Scotland can cope I'm sure the ever-resilient english will find a way!
Keep it in proportion!

I have been known to get to my car and realise that I still have the Waitrose self scan zapper thingy in my hand

Oh. Phew!!!

No of course not! Taken paid-for stuff from shops without a bag...

What? Stolen a wire basket?!

The shops should at least have large sheets of paper to protect clothing. Paper doesn't harm the environment.

And will there be job losses at the plastic bag factories?

I've done it quite a few times - admittedly in a retail park where my car was parked close by. No problem.

You are missing the point about the article. It shows that things didn't go quite as smoothly when this idea was introduced in Wales. Of course it's from 2012, That's when it started in Wales.

We will wait and see if it happens in England. It probably will. In Knightsbridge.

Never thought about the shoplifting aspect, this must be a nighmare for shops.If I didn't have a bag I would buy one as would feel uncomfortable walking out of a store holding goods.

Yes - and it's about a supermarket in North Wales...