Now have to pay twenty five cents for a shopping bag
By Lena Kovadlo
@lovebuglena (43077)
Staten Island, New York
August 15, 2021 10:31pm CST
In NYC, stores no longer use plastic bags. That's been in effect since some time in 2020 I think. If you do not bring your own bags you can get a paper bag for five cents. That's not bad, however, many stores that have paper bags have them without handles. That's very inconvenient, especially if you do not have a car, and have to use public transportation.
Our Russian grocery store continued to use plastic bags until now. Now you either have to bring your own bags or get their bags for twenty five cents each. Those bags are not paper ones though. Still, paying twenty-five cents a bag seems a lot, and it can easily add up if you have a shopping cart full of groceries. On the plus side, you pay for them once and can probably reuse them when you shop there again and again... Assuming they do not rip. I have no idea as I've not used them yet. I didn't even know about this until hubby told me today.
9 people like this
8 responses
@lovebuglena (43077)
• Staten Island, New York
16 Aug 21
You have to remember to always bring your own bags though. But at least you can buy bags if you forget yours.
1 person likes this
@ZedSmart (19753)
• Philippines
16 Aug 21
@lovebuglena I have no choice but to buy in case I forgot to bring a bag with me. But, yes it's still good because it's available but if it became often, the bag will start to stock up also.
1 person likes this
@lovebuglena (43077)
• Staten Island, New York
16 Aug 21
@ZedSmart Yes, you'd have a huge pile of bags.
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@marguicha (215441)
• Chile
16 Aug 21
I have a silk bag I can place inside my purse for small things. But I have 2 big canvas bags and if I needed, I could sew some bags with recycled old jeans.
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@lovebuglena (43077)
• Staten Island, New York
16 Aug 21
Now that I know they are no longer using plastic bags I will bring my own bags when I shop there. I see no need to purchase their as I have bags I can use. I just have to remember to take shopping bags with me when I go there. The only time I may have to buy a bag from them is if I go there when I didn't plan on it.
1 person likes this
@moirai (2836)
• Philippines
16 Aug 21
Grocery stores here have long offered their own eco bags for our purchases. So it's been years since we've bought the bags we still use today. I can't remember anymore how much I paid for them.
But anyway, I mean I have long established the habit of bringing my own bag when doing groceries, so now that they are really starting to ban the use of plastic bags, it doesn't affect us that much anymore.
Also, it's good that the different grocery stores are not picky about what bag we use. For example, today I'm buying groceries at Grocery A, they don't really mind if the bag I'm using has Grocery B's logo on it. 
@lovebuglena (43077)
• Staten Island, New York
16 Aug 21
They don't mind that here either. And that's a good thing.
1 person likes this
@lovebuglena (43077)
• Staten Island, New York
16 Aug 21
Here's the thing, if hubby hadn't gone to the Russian store in the morning and learned that they don't have plastic bags anymore, and that we have to pay twenty five cents a bag, I wouldn't have known about it. And if I chose to go to that store tomorrow I'd have to pay money for the bags as I'd be anticipating them having plastic bags as usual. But now that I know I will be prepared with my own bags. No need to buy theirs as I already have my own bags I can use.
1 person likes this
@moirai (2836)
• Philippines
16 Aug 21
@lovebuglena Then I would call that serendipity, I guess.
And over here, I would say there was some advantage to the fact that phasing out of plastic bags was supposed to have started years ago, but because of whatever reasons, it kept getting postponed. But it has been several times that rumor has spread that plastic bags will be banned already.
This time around, though, news is that there are authorities posted randomly at the market, for example, who called out stalls that were still using them. Not sure if penalty fees were imposed, or if they were only reprimanded.
But I suppose the point is: people have had ample warning.
And over here, I would say there was some advantage to the fact that phasing out of plastic bags was supposed to have started years ago, but because of whatever reasons, it kept getting postponed. But it has been several times that rumor has spread that plastic bags will be banned already.
This time around, though, news is that there are authorities posted randomly at the market, for example, who called out stalls that were still using them. Not sure if penalty fees were imposed, or if they were only reprimanded.
But I suppose the point is: people have had ample warning. 1 person likes this
@prashu228 (37526)
• India
16 Aug 21
@lovebuglena jute bags are recyclable.. made from jute fibres..
@lovebuglena (43077)
• Staten Island, New York
16 Aug 21
@prashu228 have no idea what jute is...
1 person likes this
@RebeccasFarm (86754)
• United States
16 Aug 21
I hope you can bring your own bags Lena. That is awful to have to pay for them.
It wont be long and it will be the same here.
I have a rolling shopping cart if I need it but mostly I have groceries delivered now.
@RebeccasFarm (86754)
• United States
16 Aug 21
@lovebuglena Yes I understand. Maybe keep a bag somewhere in a pocket coat or something.
1 person likes this
@lovebuglena (43077)
• Staten Island, New York
16 Aug 21
@RebeccasFarm I can carry it in my handbag.
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@lovebuglena (43077)
• Staten Island, New York
16 Aug 21
Now that I know that my Russian store charges for bags (they are better quality though) I will make sure to bring my own bags with me. Of course, if I don't plan on going there but do I will have no choice but to pay for a bag.
1 person likes this
@lovebuglena (43077)
• Staten Island, New York
16 Aug 21
25 cents is a lot to me. Makes sense to always carry at least one shopping bag just in case.
1 person likes this
@lovebuglena (43077)
• Staten Island, New York
16 Aug 21
@FaruMesh I don’t drive so I’d have to put a shopping bag in my bag.
1 person likes this
@FaruMesh (3508)
• India
16 Aug 21
@lovebuglena Yes most of the time there will be a bag in my vehicle..
1 person likes this
@lovebuglena (43077)
• Staten Island, New York
16 Aug 21
Yep. As long as they don’t rip you can use them over and over again. I do that with Trader Joe’s.
1 person likes this
