I shop at Aldi's and when I get more than my bag will hold or I don't have my bag I just purchase another bag from the store, it is no big deal. The bags last for awhile so I do get value from them when I need to purchase a few extra bags. I have a folded bag in my purse that is with me most of the time. I would rather purchase or re use a bag than see all of the waste in the landfill. Some people do not think to recycle just use it and throw it away even when the bags can be used for other things like lining a trash can, why purchase bags when you can reuse the ones from the store.
I tend to bring my own re-usable bags for shopping. For a period of time I had no qualms with plastic bags as I used them for garbage and alike, but in time I realized I'd always have more bags than what I'd use for that garbage. As for the original question, I think stores should have bags available, but simply stick with charging the customer an extra few cents a bag. There will always be people that either refuse to use a re-usable bag for their own reasons, simply forgot that day, or whatever else. They should always have a choice.
Save-A-Lot is one of those stores that make the customer pay for a plastic bag. I got use to bringing a big washable canvas bag because that was the only store on my drive home that was opened late. After, I moved into a nicer neighborhood, I was used to that big canvas bag. Now I believe no store should offer plastic. They should make customers pay an extra $0.20 for a paper bag. We need to conserve more. We cannot continue polluting our planet. No matter how many times you reuse a plastic bag, those types of bags are not healthy for our planet.
Frankly, I love the green effort by stores, and the minor effort to purchase a few canvas bags or carry a few grocery items in a cardboard box is worth it when one considers the economic damage that is being avoided. Even the smallest changes make a difference, and if every grocery store did this, it would be a MAJOR difference.
I hate to see supermarkets just completely remove plastic bags. It causes a great inconvenience for the customer who may be forced to buy a canvas bag (even though he might have more at home). What I rather like to see is supermarkets charging for plastic bags, maybe $.05/bag, on them, to both discourage overuse and to fund any cleanup efforts that are required. Personally, I like to use plastic bags for things like meat, that might drip something nasty. But, for most of my groceries, I re-use the bags they give you. And, of course, I re-use the bags to do things like line my trash cans. Nowadays, I just carry a few bags in the car with me.
I agree, the simple and plain answer is yes, it's just a pain because when we buy stuff we need a bag to carry it. I personally don't enjoy to carry plastic bags around especially when they are given for free or cost just a few cents, but a store with no plastic bags would eventually be a reason for me not to go there, if they can't be bothered to haven't maybe I can't be bothered to go there.
I appreciate this but I also believe grocery stores should put forward the effort to make it as cheap and convenient for customers as possible. At out local store they usually have those bags displayed at the counter so you know you could just buy a few which are all fairly cheap and reusable. I think the price is fair because even if I never return to that store again I could still use them for something else. I'm sure nowadays those stores have much better systems in place so customers won't find the change too inconvenient.
I also like the brown bag idea. Trader Joes does this and I think it is a great alternative to plastic bags. Plus I use the brown paper bags for my recycling. I am not a crazy about the no bag at all idea. I usually bring my own but a couple times I forget. I also use the plastic bags as garbage bags.
Hmm, where I live, this isn't much of a problem, except that busy chain stores usually tend to run out of bags and the cashiers excuse for the matter, and sometimes offer even 2% off the whole order as a token of excuse from their part. Oh, well, it mightn't be much, but it is nice to see that they care about their customers.
If you check the date this thread was started, this green effort dates back from one year and a half ago, what means that the early enthusiasm of both stores and consumers has faded out. I remember when this initiative began, and it was pretty hard get plastic bags from a store; some of them have brown paper bags, some others offered you the carton boxes of the merchandises to help you carrying your items back home, and eventually most stores began the manufacturing of their own "green bags" made with recyclable materials, a juicy business to get you buying a reusable bag. However, today most stores give you plastic bags like they always used to do, and while they may have brown bags for you to make a packing choice, they don't always offer you the option, nor make any effort to sell the famous "green bags" on display at the cashiers line.
Here in Metro Manila, groceries and supermarkets have no plastic bags because of the ordinance prohibiting the use of it. Shoppers have to bring their own cloth bags which are called eco-bags otherwise you have to bear with the brown paper bag or some porters would help you put your items in a carton box. People are now used to bringing their own cloth bags for the purpose because it is very inconvenient to carry the brown paper bag.
The first time I ever shopped in an Aldi, I was very taken aback by this. At first I was a little irked, but you do get used to it and even get to like the idea. At least that's what happened with me. In the UK, you get those 'life-long' cloth bags that you can buy for next to nothing in most supermarkets. They're not only dirt cheap, but also very sturdy and durable, plus you feel like you're doing your bit for the environment. So we stocked up on those and even started using them at regular stores such as Sainburys and Morrisons, which do offer plastic bags for a small fee. I think at one point we had about 10 of those bags.
I feel the same way, over here the plastic bags have been replaced with paper bags so I have no choice but to shop lightly and just carry what I need on a thin canvass bag. It used to be so convenient when they used plastic bags, now everything is a hassle because those paper bags have no handles.
It's the same all over then...here in Hawaii it's the same as everywhere else. I see menfolk carrying their reusable canvas bags everywhere with them too. I just got into the habit of carrying light and foldable material bags in my purse so I can have a bag for my small shopping trips. Walmart just gives out bags now and they still have their box of reusable bags too which is great. Safeway got rid of their box for reusable bags, but they give shoppers paper bags. Some stores just charge you for the bags as elsewhere have been starting to do this. Walgreens started to give out paper bags or no bags at all depending which Walgreens you go to. I like being green, but it got some getting used to at first. Now I just carry some extra bags with me and reuse them or get a box somewhere and carry it out like everyone else does. Now I know how Grandma must have felt when shopping carrying a bag with her whenever she shopped! That's life I guess.
I don't mind bringing my own bags. A local grocery store used to give you back 2 cents for every reusable bag you would use every time you shopped. I started doing this to save a few pennies but after a while it just became a habit. I prefer not having to store all the plastic bags and the reusable cloth ones are strong and hold a lot more groceries. I feel like I'm doing a small part to help the environment and set a good example for my kids. I carry the cloth bags in the trunk of my car and if I forget to grab one then I always have a few plastic bags stashed in my purse if ever I need one. Sometimes I'll just load everything back into my cart and then bag them up when I load them into my trunk.
