Charges For Plastic Bags

[Barsel]

Some of the big supermarkets are going to start charging 30p for a plastic bag to put your fruit and vegetables in.
Just wondering why they can't supply paper begs like they do for mushrooms.
The paper bags could then be recycled.
I do like the idea of less plastic waste, but if you don't want to pay for a bag, you have to remember to take one from home.
https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/uk-news/asda-nationwide-ban-all-supermarkets-20229174

[emmie]

i guess that's the idea, take one from home or face being charged 30p.
my shopping on line comes in crates, no bags to pay for or try and dispose of. Not sure that our local waitrose has paper bags anymore, last time it was small plastic bags.

[ummmm]

Amazon Morrisons supply every thing in paper bags. I use them to recycle.

Co-op charges 20p. I don't mind that. I use them as bin liners.

[Cloverjo]

So much plastic now. Why? What was wrong with paper bags and cardboard boxes? Remember them stacked up by the supermarket doors, decades ago? It drives me nutty. And don’t get me started on people who buy all their drinking water from a shop instead of using the perfectly reasonable stuff that comes out of their tap.

[Barsel]

I haven't been in Tesco for ages due to shielding, but I'm hoping to go back to shopping instore next week.
I do think 30p is a bit excessive for a plastic bag, unless they are going to be reusable.

[woofgang]

not as simple as you'd think. There is also the issue that the trees that are grown to make paper are not species native to the UK and the monoculture used to grow them is not good for the environment as it does not support native biological diversity. I have seen this for myself, near me there are plantations put in after WW2 They are silent dusty places with no birds or animals and few insects. Import of suitable wood or woodpulp from places where the trees are native, racks up the cost and the carbon footprint.
I am not defending plastic by any means but no one should be feeling virtuous for chosing a disposable paper bag instead. Going back to old fashioned shopping bags is what is needed.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-47027792

[margarettom]

Our Morrisons has paper bags only for all fruit and vegetables. They do seem to tear easily though.

[Barsel]

If you buy a lot of loose fresh produce, potatoes, carrots, apples, pears etc, you need to put them in a bag of some description so they can be weighed.
Think I might have to start saving any bags I can!
Just laughing at the thought of going into the supermarket with a carrier bag full of smaller bags.:-)

[gingejbee]

They are not just "plastic bags"...they are a re-useable, washable fine mesh bag...at least in Waitrose and Sainsbury.

[Barsel]

gingejbee That's ok then, I don't mind paying for them if they are re-usable.

[emmie]

you just have to remember to take them....

[Mamyalynne]

They're also made from recycled plastic bottles.

[barry1010]

Re paper bags. Compared to plastic bags they take up much more room and are heavier so in bulk cost far more to transport and store. Stores sell their cardboard to recyclers

[emmie]

another good reason to have them, personally if i have a little bit of shopping i take my backpack, but i mostly do my shopping on line now

[Buenchico]

For anyone who wants to see what the bags in Asda look like:
https://tinyurl.com/2mwhtnn2

I don't mind the paper carrier bags in Morrisons except when it's raining. They might be resistant to liquids as far as not leaking much if a bottle inside them comes open but they're useless in a heavy rainstorm. More than once I've had a handle come off one, or a bag split open, just trying to get from the store entrance to my car when it's been bucketing down.

[emmie]

i found the same with Primark bags

[TonyV]

I Use reusable carrier bags

[FoxLee2]

Our Tesco has done away with the small plastic bags in the vegetable/fruit department and has small brown paper bags with a clear frontage and they are next to useless. Put something in them, lift it up and it falls apart. My sister got me some white thin material bags from Sainsburys and I bought some more from Lidl (2 bags for 49p) and they are great for bananas, oranges, onions whatever and I make sure I have them in my shopping bag each time.

[Barsel]

FoxLee2 Do they not sell them in Tesco?

[emmie]

with primarks bags the handles come apart, and split the entire bag.

[tamborine]

Damn - I need plastic bags for ash from my fireplace

https://ibb.co/6JrzNFc