5p charge for plastic bags from October 2015 to cut usage

[Vipers]

Boosted LS1 said:

I used to take a plastic box to the supermarket. Load the goods from the checkout into the box which sits inside the trolley. Take trolley to car and put box into boot of car. Seemed simple enough and the box also made packing tidier. it allowed things to be stacked. Much better then stuffing stuff into carrier bags.

Think I posted some time ago, I have three plastic boxs which Sainsbury's use to sell, good thing is they have trollies designed to hold the baskets.

They don't make them now. And I always keep a rolled up plastic bag in my coat just in case.

[kowalski655]

Mojooo said:

What if you need 15 bags? Does the law allow for such simplification?

I guess so-up here in Jockland we have had this for a while & my Tesco delivery today had loads of bags,for 1 price.I guess they just suck it up.

Einion Yrth said:

Of late the local supermarkets have gone totally self-checkout. With the absurd sensitivity of the scales you can't just put the bags that you brought onto them and pack from there, so I have to just dump the goods that I have bought, naked, onto the scales and at the end, after giving over my cash, pack my purchases into the bags/ rucksacks/ whatever that I have brought, all the time ignoring the increasingly strident demands of the system to "take my goods". This is not going to go down well with those in the queue after me. Unless they make the scales even more ludicrously sensitive, how is the 5p a bag charge going to work here?

The till asks you how many bags you have used,honesty box style.I suppose you could get done for "theft" if you put too few in the till.

[Saleen836]

I was in my local Morrisons yesterday, the lady working the checkout told me it was all non essential plastic bags which included the bags for fruit and veg.

[Vipers]

Saleen836 said:

I was in my local Morrisons yesterday, the lady working the checkout told me it was all non essential plastic bags which included the bags for fruit and veg.

Are you saying they charge you for the little bag for apples, oranges etc?

[Einion Yrth]

kowalski655 said:

The till asks you how many bags you have used,honesty box style.I suppose you could get done for "theft" if you put too few in the till.

Cool, I have no problem lying to thieves.

[Mojooo]

kowalski655 said:

Mojooo said:

What if you need 15 bags? Does the law allow for such simplification?

I guess so-up here in Jockland we have had this for a while & my Tesco delivery today had loads of bags,for 1 price.I guess they just suck it up.

Einion Yrth said:

Of late the local supermarkets have gone totally self-checkout. With the absurd sensitivity of the scales you can't just put the bags that you brought onto them and pack from there, so I have to just dump the goods that I have bought, naked, onto the scales and at the end, after giving over my cash, pack my purchases into the bags/ rucksacks/ whatever that I have brought, all the time ignoring the increasingly strident demands of the system to "take my goods". This is not going to go down well with those in the queue after me. Unless they make the scales even more ludicrously sensitive, how is the 5p a bag charge going to work here?

The till asks you how many bags you have used,honesty box style.I suppose you could get done for "theft" if you put too few in the till.

Well the law says ' A seller must charge a minimum of 5 pence (including any VAT) for each SUCB supplied in a reporting year'

SUCB - single use carrier bag

I think the idea is the consumer MUST get charged and its not for the retaielr to suck it up - otherwise some retailers may offer free bags to entice custoemrs from other retailers.

[rover 623gsi]

problem with the 'bag for life' style carriers is that they are invariably very large - which is fine if you are doing a big, but a bit rubbish if you've popped in just for some milk, bread and a packet of biscuits. Also, they are nearly all designed to look either 'green' or 'girly'.

[Hoofy]

rover 623gsi said:

problem with the 'bag for life' style carriers is that they are invariably very large - which is fine if you are doing a big, but a bit rubbish if you've popped in just for some milk, bread and a packet of biscuits. Also, they are nearly all designed to look either 'green' or 'girly'.

Aldi are doing Union Flag bags.

[Saleen836]

Vipers said:

Saleen836 said:

I was in my local Morrisons yesterday, the lady working the checkout told me it was all non essential plastic bags which included the bags for fruit and veg.

Are you saying they charge you for the little bag for apples, oranges etc?

From what the lady said all non essential bags, i.e the little plastic ones people use to put apples/bananas/carrots and the like in, you will be charged.

[stevensdrs]

Saleen836 said:

Vipers said:

Saleen836 said:

I was in my local Morrisons yesterday, the lady working the checkout told me it was all non essential plastic bags which included the bags for fruit and veg.

Are you saying they charge you for the little bag for apples, oranges etc?

From what the lady said all non essential bags, i.e the little plastic ones people use to put apples/bananas/carrots and the like in, you will be charged.

Not true. We have had this farcical policy in SCOTLAND for a year now. Small polythene bags for putting loose items like onions and carrots in are not covered by the act and so are not charged.

[Vipers]

stevensdrs said:

Saleen836 said:

Vipers said:

Saleen836 said:

I was in my local Morrisons yesterday, the lady working the checkout told me it was all non essential plastic bags which included the bags for fruit and veg.

Are you saying they charge you for the little bag for apples, oranges etc?

From what the lady said all non essential bags, i.e the little plastic ones people use to put apples/bananas/carrots and the like in, you will be charged.

Not true. We have had this farcical policy in SCOTLAND for a year now. Small polythene bags for putting loose items like onions and carrots in are not covered by the act and so are not charged.

That's what I thought, that's why I asked. Hope he sorts out Morrisons.

Bought some items at the Nation Trust shop in Crathies, they charge 25p a bag, nice bags thought, the OH insisted in getting it, I would gladly have carried the items to the car.

[simo1863]

not sure if this has been mentioned but the government aren't seeing any of the money raised from this.

The retailers are being asked to use the money to fund good causes or just donate to charity (but I think most are being a bit more imaginative than that).

[PurpleMoonlight]

They get the VAT.

[Mike29]

simo1863 said:

not sure if this has been mentioned but the government aren't seeing any of the money raised from this.

The retailers are being asked to use the money to fund good causes or just donate to charity (but I think most are being a bit more imaginative than that).

Yes they are

[Esseesse]

Would they be allowed to give out paper bags for free?

[turbobloke]

Esseesse said:

Would they be allowed to give out paper bags for free?

I think so but iirc in Scotland the charge applies to paper bags also, I seem to recall posting something about this earlier in the thread but haven't looked back as yet.

[turbobloke]

There's also this:

Earlier in the thread Corranga said:

I live in Scotland and the bag thing isn't really an issue, either you remember to take bags with you, or you pay 5p per new one. Hardly breaking the bank. What I think it does however is make people think, and that may lead to something better..

The McDonald's paper bag costing 5p is stupid though.

[PurpleMoonlight]

Esseesse said:

Would they be allowed to give out paper bags for free?

Yes if they want, but they won't.

The charge only applies to plastic bags.

[jmorgan]

PurpleMoonlight said:

They get the VAT.

Incentive to use bags for life then, stick it to maaaaan......

[funkyrobot]

First 'victim' of the scheme:

http://www.spaldingtoday.co.uk/news/business/busin...