No More plastic Bags?!

Omagh, Northern Ireland
April 16, 2013 11:12pm CST
I'd have gotten into the habit of bringing a shopping bag along with Me when going to the supermarket,and recently,I saw notices going up in my regular place that said they were bringing in a bag charge fee here of 5p a bag..The Irish Republic Border is within about 15 minutes drive from where I shop,and they've had a "bag tax" for several years now,so I'd be familiar with the idea. It was still a surprise to go into the shop last week to find NO bags ready to go at the checkout,just empty bag rails and a sign saying "contact a member of staff" if you need them..apparently they'll now only bring them out if you require them,and charge you..So..has this happened yet where you live? will it be happening near you? And how do you feel about no more (free!) plastic bags?
4 people like this
31 responses
@lsjapdoit (651)
• Indonesia
17 Apr 13
Where I live the supermarkets still provide free plastic bags for their customers. I personally agree that we should reduce plastic bags usage for a better and healthier environment.
• Omagh, Northern Ireland
17 Apr 13
I haven't been doing much shopping recently,so am not sure if this is an initiative by this one store,or part of a countrywide effort! Time will tell..
• Omagh, Northern Ireland
23 Apr 13
A more recent shop revealed it IS a government initiative..the levy was put in place by our department of the environment..
• Lithuania
17 Apr 13
Well, in my country all plastic bags cost from 15 to 30 cents, which is about 0.07 to 0,16$. So I am quite used to this thing. But I usually bring a shopping bag with me as well, therefore I don't pay for these bags.
1 person likes this
• Omagh, Northern Ireland
18 Apr 13
It will surely make people think twice about the number of bags they'll take home with their shopping when they have to now pay for them!
@marguicha (213841)
• Chile
17 Apr 13
At the supermarket where I shop there are free plastic bags. But lately they have sold at a small price bags that are sturdy and can be recycled. I wish that plascics would be fewer. Plastic bottles will take over the planet if we don`t put a stop to it.
• Omagh, Northern Ireland
17 Apr 13
For now,it's a choice to bring your own bag or use the store supplied ones..maybe if they don't have to supply as many bags,they'll keep prices down?
@marguicha (213841)
• Chile
18 Apr 13
I`m afraid supermarkets are not interested in keeping prices down but on earning more, if possible.
• Omagh, Northern Ireland
18 Apr 13
Every business is trying to make a profit,and we accept that..just so long as they don't cross the line from "profit" into "ripoff"...
@veganbliss (3895)
• Adelaide, Australia
17 Apr 13
We've had this ban for decades already. Ours was the first state to implement it at a state level. The idea came from a sea-side local council implementing the ban for a number of years due to all the sea birds, etc getting entangled in the rubbish. I'm not sure if the whole country has banned them now. We were so upset when it happened at a state level because it meant we had lost our source of free bin liners! Everyone else must have felt the same way, because ever after that bin liner bag sales went through the roof!. The farce of the matter is that they replace these free bags with ones they charge a dollar or so for which we're supposed to use over & over again, but in the first instance, this is unsanitary & in the second instance these expensive bags take much longer to break down when they go into the environment. It's just all about supermarket profits here!
• Omagh, Northern Ireland
17 Apr 13
These more expensive bags sound like the "bags for life" ones available here-you can have a worn one replaced by a new one by bringing it back,so recycling can take place instead of simply dumping it. That's another thought..by cutting down plastic usage with no more free bags,are we just moving the goalposts to promote bin liner sales?!
• Omagh, Northern Ireland
18 Apr 13
Outsourcing the production of those cheap bags abroad may have been good for profit,but when it gets to a tipping point of importing more stuff than is exported,things are going wrong...
• Adelaide, Australia
17 Apr 13
Old for new, eh? Sounds like a better deal than the system we're using. I hope we adopt that one very soon. The problem with up'ing bin liner sales is that here, these are all made overseas & all overseas owned. We've completely lost the ability to make anything for ourselves anymore when we used to be the innovators!
@Pegasus72 (1898)
28 Apr 13
We still have plastic and paper here, but if we bring our own bags we get money off of our orders.
• Omagh, Northern Ireland
28 Apr 13
I think I too would prefer to get some kind of a discount for bringing my own bags along...NOT being charged extra isn't a great incentive,though it does add up if you had a big list..I wonder how it works with their home delivery service?
@Pegasus72 (1898)
28 Apr 13
I know we have a store that does charge if you buy bags from them but not if you use your own bags, but they don't give you a discount either. I forgot all about them. We usually just put everything in the cart or bring our own bags when we shop here, but mostly we just buy their pizza so we don't need a bag.
@joizee (502)
• Philippines
17 Apr 13
Yes we have here in my place in Bay, Laguna, Philippines. I think it has been going for over three years now. It started as a campaign project of graduate students from my university, University of the Philippines Los Banos campus. It was called B.Y.O.B. which mean "bring your own bag" whenever you go shopping because stores will not issue plastic bags anymore. This was an environmental advocacy turned into community law and has been implemented to 3 neighboring towns now. The success of the campaign was tantamount in the sense that companies introduced "eco bags" that shoppers can buy instead. This project, and now is a result of never-ending problem of plastic waste. Waste management is such a problem that two community landfills have already been closed because of too much waste, plastic waste. Additionally, our community is starting to implement waste segregation, which is separating recyclables to non-recyclables. However, paper bags were made as a replacement of the traditional plastic containers. And I fear that this is another problem. We need trees to produce paper and the more paper we need the more trees should be cut. So even though we don't have a lot of plastic waste by using paper bags, we are also cutting down trees. Still can create environmental problems. Hopefully, Philippines can have that most effective, low maintenance, economical waste management solution. Thanks for the discussion ShepherdSpy :)
• Omagh, Northern Ireland
17 Apr 13
It's interesting that it took a Grad Student initiative to get the ball rolling on this,and it sounds to be a continuing success!
1 person likes this
@cher913 (25782)
• Canada
17 Apr 13
well, we have had a bring your own bag policy in a number of stores for several years now. if you need a bag, the store will charge you 5 cents for one but there always seems to be plastic bags available. i would want to ask a store clerk if this a permanent thing.
• Omagh, Northern Ireland
18 Apr 13
I'm on it!
@ElicBxn (63194)
• United States
17 Apr 13
Austin has passed a "no single use bag" ordinance and I'm NOT happy. I saved most of those "single use" bags and reused them! I would put them in small trash cans, my client used them too. I've actually threatened to take my shopping out of town because of this... hasn't happened yet, but it might.
• Omagh, Northern Ireland
18 Apr 13
Yep..while annoying me as litter,those single use bags could have been repurposed as bin bags or for other uses..I haven't run out of them yet,but it is only a matter of time!
1 person likes this
@mermaidivy (15395)
• United States
19 Apr 13
I think it's very inconvenient. They do that back in my hometown, it charges you to get a plastic so we have to bring our recycle bag; I like to have plastic bag when I shop grocery then I recycle them as trash bag at home.
• Omagh, Northern Ireland
23 Apr 13
They are useful,in that they can scrunch up small in a pocket or anywhere,ready for use..and they make great pedal bin liners!
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
17 Apr 13
When I stayed in Dublin with Mum in the summer of 2005 I noticed there weren't any plastic bags anywhere. I can't remember the name of the store (but it's big and sold food as well as clothing) but we came out of it with these ace thick brown paper bags like the ones you see in US movies lol. They haven't caught on here in England yet but I wouldn't mind if they did. We shop in Morrisons and ALWAYS forget to take our bags in but never get charged for plastic bags. Some other stores do, however.
• Omagh, Northern Ireland
18 Apr 13
It Looks like they'll soon get to you too with this cash for bags thing!
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
18 Apr 13
Yeh, probably. They still have them in our local shop though..for now!
@Cutie18f (9551)
• Philippines
17 Apr 13
It's an effort to help save the environment. We have that drive here also but it seems like it's broken most often. People can't get used to bringing their own bags when shopping. The shopping malls have to use plastic because of this. I know. I have eco-friendly bags at home but I do not always bring them with me so I end up using plastic bags again which get thrown into the garbage most often.
• Omagh, Northern Ireland
18 Apr 13
Bringing a bag or 5 along is a habit that you can get into..when I unload my groceries,I hang the emptied,reuseable bags on the inside of the front door so I can take them back out to the car and leave them in there til next time! It will take a while for Mall shopping to operate ths way,though..
• United States
18 Apr 13
My concern for the reusable bags is how many germs and how many bugs are being brought into the grocery store. When I see the lack of personal hygiene in many people I see in the stores, I can only imagine what their houses look like, and how many germs they are bringing back into the stores in the reusable bags. I have been recycling my plastic bags at Walmart for years. This way I leave the store with a new bag, and I bring it back and put it in the recycling bin the next time I come to shop.
• Omagh, Northern Ireland
23 Apr 13
It seems odd to Me that people having such poor bodily hygiene that they'd be objectionable to be around in public,and yet would still have a concern for the environment..
@dagami (1158)
• Rome, Italy
17 Apr 13
i have been carrying a shopping bag in my bag for almost two years. the supermarkets here charge 10 euro cents for a plastic bag. it is a law here in italy that shopping bags should be biodegradale and they are costly. they are not as tough as the old plastic bags and they easily get torn.
• Omagh, Northern Ireland
18 Apr 13
The Irish Republic,following EU rules,must have followed the same timetable as You in Italy..The UK must now be playing catch up in this area..
• United States
18 Apr 13
I used to live in South Carolina and there were some stores that gave you a discount on your purchase if you brought in your own bags, even if the bags came from their competition. A bag tax is just crazy, you are being penalized for helping the environment? That's just plain backwards. Have you thought about finding a new regular place? That might be a good idea. Sometimes it may not be. Is there a big difference in how much you are spending now? Or does it balance out?
@ajithlal (14716)
• India
17 Apr 13
I am using cloth bags and here plastic is banned and most people uses cloth bags. I think it is good to avoid plastic bags as far as possible.
• Omagh, Northern Ireland
18 Apr 13
Interesting that you have a ban on the use of plastic..this idea being brought in here should be a step in that direction..
@maximax8 (31055)
• United Kingdom
17 Apr 13
When I go shopping I carry my jute shopping bags with me. I have bought these at supermarkets and on E Bay. They have shop names or slogans written on them. I believe it is a very good idea of a health food shop that I know to only offer paper bags. Plastic bags are bad for the environment. It is a superb idea no more free plastic bags will be available. I suggest that you buy your own jute shopping bags.
• Omagh, Northern Ireland
18 Apr 13
I'd use the recycled ones or the "Bag for Life" types at present.I'd shop in Lidl or Aldi occasionally and like their model of letting customers have the empty goods packing cartons to carry purchases out with-it must cut down their recycling too!
@cynthiann (18602)
• Jamaica
17 Apr 13
I believe that plastic bags would take hundred s of years to decay and I wish the whole world would stop using them. I live on an Island and people will dump the plastic bags in the sea or rivers and the fish eat them and die. It is awful. I wish that they could be completely banned and everyone should use their own shopping bag made from preferably recycled material
• Omagh, Northern Ireland
2 May 13
In recent times,some more biodegradeable bags were brought in..but you don't always know which type you had when you got them..
@jaiho2009 (39142)
• Philippines
17 Apr 13
This has been implemented in many cities here in our country. So, it is better to bring our own shopping bag everytime we go for groceries. Thu, some supermarkets are still giving free plastic bags- but there certain days that they don't.
• Omagh, Northern Ireland
17 Apr 13
I like this "Bag free Day" concept You mention..It will cut down on the bags going into circulation,and encourage bringing you own bags instead..simple!
• Trinidad And Tobago
17 Apr 13
Its really a roll of idiocy. Here in Trinidad every grocery or shop you went to provided you with a bag when you bought something and they still do except for Pricesmart where you can only get the rejected cardboard cartons for use that they want to throw away when they get their own stuff in. Its appalling. How can it be easy for anyone to drop in somewhere and shop when they have to provide their own bags ? I'm surprised that in Ireland, which is supposed to be a more advanced country than Trinidad which is a Caribbean island charge people a tax for bags ?
• Omagh, Northern Ireland
17 Apr 13
While the free bags are very useful to have available,they are not being disposed of properly and cause hazards to wildlife and pollute the environment when simply thrown away.I hear the Caribbean Islands are beautiful and would like to visit there some day..Ireland too is a popular destination Island,and waste control should help keep it attractive!
• Singapore
17 Apr 13
I actually think this is good even though this means I will have to pay more! This is good for the environment and will encourage people to bring their own bags or at least reuse plastic bags. But though we are encouraged to do this currently, free plastic bags are still given out so you hardly see anyone bringing their own.
• Omagh, Northern Ireland
17 Apr 13
That's part of the problem..it's such a throwaway society,we take the convenience of these bags for granted,collect them,then dump them after maybe one use,just going back each time to get more..it's a big waste..