When Is A Carrier Bag Not A Carrier Bag?

[mrs.chappie]

I bought some fresh fish (in a sealed tray) and a small bag of frozen mashed potato from the supermarket, along with other shopping. I'd taken my own cloth shopping bag.

As I went through the checkout, I noticed a roll of flimsy small bags (the sort you'd put serve-yourself fresh veg or loose bread rolls in) at the check-out, and asked the girl if I could have one for my bag of frozen mash, as it was a bit wet.

She replied that she couldn't give me the bag for the frozen mash, but she could give me it for the fish. 'Okay', I said, 'can I have a bag for the fish then?'

She replied that I could have the bag as long as I didn't put the frozen mash in it, as well as the fish. If I put the frozen mash in it, along with the fish, it became a carrier bag, and strictly speaking (her words) she would need to charge me 5p for it. She then stated that it was not her decision - it was the law.

I showed her my cloth bag and pointed out that I didn't need a carrier bag as I already had my own bag. She reiterated the ruling, saying it wasn't up to her - it was now the law.

I told her that I thought it a tad harsh to charge 5p for a flimsy, weak bag that was, in my opinion, nothing like a carrier bag.

It also made me wonder if this new law is as rigid as it appears, or if, in some circumstances, there can be exceptions.

Any thoughts please?

[retrocop]

I would ask to see the manager/ess and tell him/her to shove it. I would hope you are fortunate to have a choice to shop else where and if so Iwould tell the proprietor that.

[Davemano]

Fish and chip shops give carrier bags as a matter of course and there is no charge. A similar situation on the Saturday market stalls - items into carrier bag and no charge.

[Buenchico]

>>>flimsy small bags (the sort you'd put serve-yourself fresh veg or loose bread rolls in)

Did they have handles? If not, they're NOT such subject to the charging regulations. Beyond that it gets complicated, so I'll leave you to read the rules for yourself here:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/carrier-bag-charges-retailers-responsibilities

[Buenchico]

>>>>Fish and chip shops give carrier bags as a matter of course and there is no charge. A similar situation on the Saturday market stalls - items into carrier bag and no charge

Only businesses that employ 250 or more full-time equivalent employees are covered by the rules.

[mrs.chappie]

I stopped at the Customer Services desk on the way out, and spoke to the chap manning it. He basically backed the assistant's theory up, but added that strictly speaking I wouldn't be allowed a flimsy bag for the fish anyway, as in theory, a sealed tray shouldn't leak.

He then went on to say that some folk were using these flimsy bags to carry all their shopping because they weren't prepared to pay for a proper carrier bag.

I must admit I came away feeling a little bit miffed, as I felt that in my circumstances I should've been given one, but when I got home and thought about it, I wondered if I'd been unreasonable. :o/

Chris, yes, the flimsy bags did have handles. I'm a bit tied up now but I'll read that link later, thanks, and thanks for other replies, peeps.

[Davemano]

BC - Thanks for that, I wasn't aware not knowing or having seen the rules.

[baza]

My local paper/corner shop wanted to charge me 5p for a carrier bag for the bits and pieces that I had bought , I said no chance, I will go somewhere else, charge dropped.

[Jackdaw33]

To my simple mind a bag is a receptacle to enable goods to be transported manually. So what is the difference between a bag and a carrier bag?

[Svejk]

They charge for bags in the takeaways here. (Wales)

[Answerprancer]

What a load of old rubbish - she shouldn't be negotiating like this OR quoting "the law". Something's definitely wrong here. If it was me, I'd have just dumped everything on the counter and gone elsewhere.

[Cloverjo]

I wouldn't call a bag of the type mrs.chappie is talking about a carrier bag, but I think the law stipulates "single use bags" rather than "carrier bags", so I suppose they do come under the new rules. It seems a bit much to charge 5p for one of those, though.

[Jackdaw33]

@svejk

....and I'm sure all these takeaways donate the money to charity - not!

[Svejk]

I bet.

[Jackdaw33]

I can't help thinking that if the OP had bought some spuds which she could peel, boil and mash, not only would they have been cheaper but the bag would be free.

[Svejk]

Yes, frozen mash is a concept I'm not familiar with. What it like?

[Buenchico]

My posts above assumed that Mrs Chappie is in ENGLAND (which I believe to be correct).

Svejk refers to WALES, where entirely different legislation applies.

In Wales the Single Use Carrier Bags Charge (Wales) Regulations 2010 apply to ALL retailers, irrespective of the number of employees (which would explain why takeaways have to charge).

Further, the definition of a 'carrier bag' in Wales includes bags (of the relevant size and thickness) WITHOUT handles (unlike in England, where only bags WITH handles are covered by the relevant Regulations).

[Svejk]

^And there was me, I was going to 'kick off' next time they tried to charge me.
Mind you, they do offer the choice not to have a bag. If you can juggle the red hot containers all the way home, that could be for you.

[Buenchico]

If you really want to get confused, Svejk, visit Scotland and/or Northern Ireland, where there are entirely different rules!

Isn't it wonderful to live in the United Kingdom?
;-)

[mrs.chappie]

AP, it did occur to me to just leave the shopping, but I thought better of it as I'd got the tray of fish at a really good discounted price and was looking forward to a nice fish pie. I'd also got two tubs of vegetable couscous at less than half-price - what a bargain.

JD, arthritic fingers make peeling spuds difficult. I once bought a potato peeler but it turned out to be a dead loss.

Have to say though, frozen mash is much better than I expected it to be. Surprisingly, I find it hard to tell the difference, and at £1 a bag, when I think about it (peeling and boiling spuds for 20 mins) I'm not sure it's much more expensive than buying it ready-done.

[Svejk]

I might get a bag of that. Sounds like a handy thing to have 'tucked away'.