Plastic Carrier Bag Clarification, Please

[hc4361]

I bought raw meat from Morrison's. It was on a tray and wrapped in film.
The till operator insisted it have its own plastic carrier bag without charge as it is raw meat and that is the law.

I bought raw meat from Tesco butcher counter. It was put in to a plastic bag by the assistant who was still wearing the plastic gloves she used to pick up and weigh the meat. The till operator insisted I would have to pay for a carrier bag as the meat was wrapped.

"Shops don’t have to charge for bags used for unwrapped food, raw meat and fish, prescription medicines, uncovered blades, seeds, bulbs and flowers, or live fish. However, if another item is put in the same bag, the charge kicks in."

http://www.theguardian.com/money/2015/oct/02/how-will-the-pastic-bag-charge-affect-me

The assistant at Tesco was adamant that she would be breaking the law if she gave me a free bag.

Clearly one of them is wrong, but which one?

[EDDIE51]

Tesco was wrong.
Raw Meat has to be in a bag even if it is prepacked.

[Jackdaw33]

I would say Tesco is in the wrong, as raw meat and fish are a separate category from unwrapped food, according to your link.

[Jackdaw33]

...just shows what a silly little piece of legislation this is.

[AlwaysConfused]

Lack of training in some large stores/supermarkets. This shouldn't have come as a surprise to anyone. I've known about it for months.

[Buenchico]

It might come down to how well the meat was packed at the butchery counter. 'Food in containers that aren’t secure enough to prevent leakage during handling' is among the exemptions listed on the Gov.uk website:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/carrier-bag-charges-retailers-responsibilities

[woofgang]

I think the get out is the liklihood of leakage clause.

[woofgang]

Snap Chris....does that make us smart or carrier bag geeks?

[Jackdaw33]

This, and the ban on smoking in cars, will have the lawyers rubbing their hands with glee as they contemplate the number of test cases.

[hc4361]

I am sure that the 'food in containers......' bit refers to cooked or ready to eat food.

[woofgang]

does it say so hc?

[LyndaB]

What a load of nonsense. All carrier bags should be paid for in England, just as they are in other parts of the uk.

[woofgang]

....nope, no mention of whether the food is cooked or raw....
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/carrier-bag-charges-retailers-responsibilities
" food in containers that aren’t secure enough to prevent leakage during handling"

[woofgang]

Lynda, the exemptions are the same in scotland......

[hc4361]

Woofgang, unwrapped food is listed separately to raw meat and it does say 'for consumption' which suggests it is cooked and ready to eat

You don’t charge for plastic bags that are for:

uncooked fish and fish products
uncooked meat, poultry and their products
unwrapped food for animal or human consumption - eg chips, or food in containers that aren’t secure enough to prevent leakage during handling
unwrapped loose seeds

[woofgang]

no, consumption just means its for eating...although what else could you do with food? Nowhere does it specify cooked unwrapped food or food for immediate consumption.

[hc4361]

I does give chips as an example

[hc4361]

Thanks to everyone for the replies. A seemingly simple law is not so simple after all

[hc4361]

I've found this intended for shops guidance and I 'think' it makes it clear

http://i59.tinypic.com/2rz6f7s.png

[hc4361]

[IMG]http://i59.tinypic.com/2rz6f7s.png[/IMG]

[woofgang]

nothing there at all about the leakage issue