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AIBU

AIBU? No carrier bags in Boots

(47 Posts)
fizzers Fri 22-Nov-19 17:30:15

Decided to go out and support my local High Street by doing some Black Friday shopping in person, instead of online. Selected 3 gift sets, two quite large, larger than a standard carrier bag.

Was paying at the till and asked for a couple of their large bags, surprise surpise they didn't have any plastic carrier bags of any description, all they had was small paper carrier bags - a la Primark, the assistant did say they hadn't realised the hadn't ordered in time - so no large bags, in fact no plastic bags at all.

I paid 7p for the paper one and put the smaller gift set in, it ripped straight away.

To say I was fuming was an understament, I felt like a thief walking through the store with these gift sets under my arm, was expecting to get hauled back into the store.

If I'd decided to have a browse and ordered online for delivery or click and collect they would've been in some sort of wrapping.

If High Street stores want to keep and encourage our custom away from online shopping then they need to pull their fingers out.

BTW I did have some standard bags with me but were too small,

Apricity Sat 23-Nov-19 09:42:40

fizzers not only AUBU regarding your original question you are also being rude, offensive and very ignorant about the urgent environmental need for multi-use shopping bags and accepting your personal responsibilities in this area. As we all must do.

MawB Sat 23-Nov-19 10:30:29

fizzers Sat 23-Nov-19 09:22:31
STFU Petra and go and sort out that big chip on your shoulder

Blimey Fizzers where did that come from?
Yes, YABU , much as I miss those lovely big rectangular paper bags I used to get with purchases from the likes of JL surely none of us expects plastic carriers these days?
I have various thin nylon bags which roll up into the size of a sausage and I always have one in my handbag.
Our mothers’ generation used to have things called “shopping bags” which lived in the kitchen for whoever was going shopping to take.
It’s not going to save the planet by itself, but I am glad we are at least aware of the creeping menace of plastic.

Maggiemaybe Sat 23-Nov-19 10:54:16

I have sympathy with fizzers. She’s said she takes bags when going shopping. This was a one off. She hadn’t planned to buy oversized gift sets, too big for the bags she had with her, and had to carry them out in the rain (presumably using both hands, so not able to hold an umbrella). I’ve had similar situations in the past and the store’s just found a bin liner out back, which yes, I’ve reused. Boots have been unhelpful, imo.

petra Sat 23-Nov-19 10:55:34

Fizzers
I will not STFU, particularly when it comes to environmental issues. People with your attitude towards this problem are doing untold damage.

I hope you are a lot younger than me as you will be the one suffering, not me.

Gonegirl Sat 23-Nov-19 10:58:00

It was a difficult one. I acknowledge that.

Gonegirl Sat 23-Nov-19 11:00:56

I bought an expensive jacket as a Xmas gift for someone in JL the other day. I had to pay for an oversized placcy bag. No way was I going to carry a £115 jacket home without a bag.

We have got dependent on plastic. It is too late to completely turn the tide. Just can't be done. Face it.

Councils need to widen their recycling ablities.

craftyone Sat 23-Nov-19 11:01:49

alexa, I still use an old style basket, I love using them and have 4 in various sizes. I use one as a shopping basket in store, pay for the goods and then put them back into my basket. Two of them are 20 years old. I am surprised not to see anyone else using a basket

Riggie Sat 23-Nov-19 11:02:55

I noriced the paper ones at our branch yesterday. However people were buying armfuls of giftboxes and even the big bags werent big enough and were struggling to leave!!

Its ironic that they are switching to these whe their pharmacies seem to be chamging from paper bags to plastic!!!

Riggie Sat 23-Nov-19 11:05:15

I like baskets too craftyone but theyre not very practical for a family sized shop.

M0nica Sat 23-Nov-19 11:11:14

To be fair to Fizzers it is always a shock when you post something expecting agreement and support and nobody agrees with you. I have been there - once.

The best thing to do is swallow hard and say nothing.

jura2 Sat 23-Nov-19 11:13:58

fizzers- why didn't you take your own bags to the shops- it is not difficult, is it?

Baggs Sat 23-Nov-19 11:17:21

I think fizzers did have 'normal' sized bags but they weren't big enough for her purchases. We live and learn.

Gonegirl Sat 23-Nov-19 11:18:54

Things can get wet in the rain in a basket. Ditched my gondola one years ago.

Callistemon Sat 23-Nov-19 11:25:18

It's a bit rich, though isn't it, for Boots to pretend to be all environmentally aware and hand out paper bags, saying they haven't any large reusable) plastic bags.

Why? Because their gift sets, similar to the ones fizzers bought, are probably all filled with toiletries in plastic bottles.

glammanana Sat 23-Nov-19 14:22:06

I always have a folded bag in the side of my handbag when ever I go shopping but last week I decided to go into Next to buy some PJ's I didn't want to put them in the carrier I had brought with me as I was unsure if it had previously been used for veg etc so I paid for one of their own bags,there was no way I was walking home with a set of pj's under my arm in the rain.

Gonegirl Sat 23-Nov-19 15:45:40

Yeah. Go to Lush and get bars of shampoo and bodywash.

Gonegirl Sat 23-Nov-19 15:46:25

Exactly Glamma. It just doesn't work does it?

Alexa Sat 23-Nov-19 16:48:59

Craftyone, I see a gap in the market for shopping baskets. You?

Moocow Mon 25-Nov-19 22:43:58

It has helped me to spend less as I have so many bags at home that if I don't have enough bags with me It makes me think twice about what I'm buying and become more selective.

I hate putting nice items in grocery shop bags too so again it helps as I do not have many bags for special purchases nor for large items.

lilypollen Mon 25-Nov-19 23:38:26

I've used reusables since day 1 and have selection of carriers from all the major supermarkets, never bought an extra ever! What p****d me off a couple of months ago was when I went into Sainsbury's and there was the curt notice saying they'd removed plastic bags for fruit and veg - buy a reusable for 30p. There had been no notices in advance warning the customer that it was happening so you could bring your own so I went down the road to Aldi.

lilypollen Mon 25-Nov-19 23:40:40

glammanana OH will walk round our local town with his clothes purchases under his arm rather than buy a carrier!!