Paying for carrier bags.

East of England Co-op has charged for bags for many years, so we are used to taking our own there. I even have a voucher for a free bag for life.

I have just seen a Facebook post from a local pub which is giving away a FREE plastic bag with every pint purchased today - brilliant!!

My DH works for the Co-op. You should hear the stories he tells me of the verbal abuse he has had over the last few days. A certain customer makes an awful fuss if he isn't offered a carrier bag, even if he has just purchased a bag of crisps. Goodness knows how he will cope today!

The young fellers in the Co-op do the loading the bag for you thing. Trouble is, they automatically reach for the plastic carrier bags. I have to frantically wave my bright blue nylon bag right under their noses before they get the message!

Here in Scotland we've had the charge for a while now. Nothing happened when it was introduced except some folks started taking their own bags and some folks paid 5p. The sky didn't fall in!

I've been using my own bags for years and tbh, it's actually rather nice not to be questioned as to why I do that (Primark were very snippy) or, with M&S at one time, they wouldn't allow you to Collect by Car if you weren't using their bags.

The one issue I have is with meat and fish, as I do think for hygiene reasons that should be wrapped but what I do now is put it in my bag and then chuck the bag into the washing machine. Easy!

I thought I would miss bags to some extent for rubbish but even where I live in the depths of the countryside, we now have recycling of everything, including food waste, with the exception of glass so we don't have much proper rubbish. I don't mind taking glass to the recycling centre as I think it's fun to chuck it in and hear the noise it makes.

pittycity, I will just have to get one of those Sainsbury's bags- brilliant (and I will use it again and again and again, promise). Can't believe the fuss really!

I'm back from crying in the corner

It is very difficult to judge whether written remarks should be taken seriously or not. Thanks JBF and merlot for being nice to me.

My problem this morning, apart from DH repeating the "Old Bag" thing, was not having enough hands in Boots to find my credit card, vouchers, bags etc
The assistant in Savers had it right, she took the bag I had brought in and filled it as she scanned, leaving me free to find my purse. I will have to invest in a trolly!

Luckygirl it's not just supermarkets. It's any company that employs over a certain number of people. So all the large chains no matter what they sell.
Teetime You can't put plastic carriers in the recycling in our area.
To dispose of my cats litter I am told to tie it up in a plastic bag and put it in the general waste bin. I had to buy a roll of bin liners to use instead of old plastic carriers. How does that help.

I don't think that 5p is actually enough to ensure people carry reusable bags. It really needs to
be a much more significant amount-say 25/30p-which would escalate into a couple of pounds if doing a supermarket shop, 30/40p on a big shop for half a dozen or so bags doesn't really register.

I'm not offended either.

But I'll add that if any of my dearly beloved family thinks I might like one for Christmas they'll be wearing it over their heads.

Oh no! Don't take it seriously Pittcity. It's fine. (was a long time ago)

Sorry if I have offended but it's not only Sainsburys that use that slogan. I have seen some posh designer shopping bags with the logo.

We can't edit our own posts, so I will leave it up to GNHQ to decide if it stays or goes.

I agree merlot.

Good for you, jingl. Flipping cheek considering the amount of money we may have spent there over the years and the patience and energy we have needed to guide our own old bags very elderly relatives around the store.

That kind of campaign is NOT funny.

Get that Sainsburys bag off of here! I got banned from their forums because I kicked up a fuss about that hideous campaign!!!

I have just come back from a mini shopping spree. In JL I bought a quite expensive cardigan which I put in the old Waitrose bag I had in my handbag - if I had bought the cardigan in White Stuff itself and not the franchise in JL they would have nicely folded it and put it in a paper carrier which I would have used until it fell apart and then put in the recycling bin. In JL I bought 2 pasta bowls which they wrapped in copious layers of plastic bubble wrap and handed to me to put in my hessian bag from Waitrose which has been used a million times. I have just put all the bubble warp in the recycling which is where the plastic bag would have gone if they had given me one. A JL 'partner' said 'its all for charity aint it' I said 'not the Vat it isn't'. A member of stuff in Debenhams said how embarrassing it had been that morning to sell a customer a £300 watch and ask him for 5pence for a plastic bag. She said' David Cameron doesn't go shopping so he doesn't know how impractical this all is'.

I am puzzled that it is only in supermarkets - it is in all shops in Wales. I have 3 string bags that live in the car, so always have a bag ready as I shop over the border in Wales. It has not been a problem at all and you soon get into the habit of it.

I opted for no bags for my online Tesco shopping - but they still do use bags - some for items that are substitutes and others for freezer or fridge - I think it helps the driver to identify them - but I hope we do not get charged for them, having opted for none.

Here is the official advice on charging for bags -
www.gov.uk/guidance/carrier-bag-charges-retailers-responsibilities
All bags need to be accounted for and profits must go to a good cause. I can see scope for massaging figures here.

We keep folding shopping bags in the car and it isn't very often we're caught out without one except when we have been for a walk locally and call in, on spec, at the supermarket on the way back. I suppose we're going to have to keep a bag in each rucksack! I don't mind paying for the odd plastic carrier bag, but why don't they do something about the plastic bags they have to put fruit and vegetables in? These are a pain in the neck and can't be recycled. Why not paper bags which could be recycled?

What an awful lot of fuss and nonsense. Why should we expect free bags, why can't we all take our own bags, we all have them. If not, there are some very pretty shopping bags around. Never mind the cost of bags, it's the cost to the earth we should be concerned about. Get over it England.

indeed, plain daft! Mind you, metric came in in 1971 ... and some people have still not yet got over it ;)

1 lb is about 1/2 kilo - take a bite of an apple of- not brain surgery, is it?

Meersbrook all supermarkets sell those. I have them from Aldi, Tesco, Sainsburys I take them with me every time.

I can't understand all the fuss about charging for carrier bags in England. We have had this in Wales for 4 years and it has in no way affected the way I shop. I take my 2 bags that I bought in Iceland for 99p which I have had for about 2 years. To listen to the media it's going to be the end of the world for all of you living in England

Do Sainsbury's still have those 'Bags for life' or whatever they were called? Or aren't they allowed anymore? You had to buy them but they made shopping so much easier. I had 6 or 7, I would stand them up in the trolley and as the the things came through the checkout it was easy to put all the veg in one, meat in another, booze in another etc. They didn't crumple in the boot of the car and everything was easy to put away when home.
They would have lasted for years.

I agree with anything that will reduce the plastics going into landfill. In Scotland we pay for all single use carrier bags, i.e. bags with handles, including paper ones which I don't agree with - surely paper biodegrades very quickly in our climate?