Where do you get your re-usable shopping bags from? Here in the UK they charge you 5p for every single plastic bag you get from any chain retailer so for people here, buying bags that are re-usable is now a must. These 5p carrier bags aren't re-usable and you'll be lucky to even get them home before they break. Instead I try to make sure I buy bags that can be replaced for free if they break from the grocery store. I find this way at least I'm only having to shell out once for the cost of bags to carry my groceries home in. I don't like to use the same bags for clothing, pet food, cleaning supplies and human food though, so I make a point of getting different bags to use for different things. I usually use canvas type bags for cleaning supplies as they're a bit more robust if anything breaks or spills. I tend to use plastic ones for pet food and human food. Then I use cloth ones for clothes. I usually buy these at clothing stores. So far I've only had to replace one, but for £1 that's not too bad for how much use they can get.
I own some reusable shopping bags, but I don't often use them for grocery carrying from the stores. I keep the ones for frozen goods in the trunk for that purpose, though, and also for use if I'm going to the beach and taking snacks that are better when chilled. I like the plastic grocery bags, because I use them when I scoop the litter boxes. I like the look of the canvas ones, but I just never remember to bring them with me. I use them for various purposes around the house, though, so they're not wasted, and will also sometimes pack snacks in them on road trips.
They've started charging for carrier bags over here, too. It's just a minimal fee, to be honest. I try to minimise the amount I take, but the ones I do use for my groceries, I recycle as bin liners. The quality is very good and they rarely break, so they can withstand the weight of the shopping and being used as bin liners. When I lived in the UK I very rarely used carrier bags, because I too bought quite a few reusable canvas/sack material bags for life. Sadly, when I moved countries, I didn't bring them with and they don't have them here. So I'll have to grab a few when I'm visiting.
If we shop in the city, we'd have to pay for plastic bags as well. But if we shop here in our province, plastic bags are free. But it's still a good idea to bring your own reusable bags to help the environment and save some money. Luckily, lots of stores nowadays have these reusable bags as freebies whenever we shop. I have accumulated quite a lot of them actually and I keep them in one place. Whenever we have to go somewhere, even if it's not specifically to shop, I always bring one of these cloth bags just in case we end up buying something. They're not that durable though and I've had two that broke already, the handle specifically. So it's not wise to use them for heavy shopping, like meats and bottles. But for clothes, chips and some light fruits, they're good enough. For those heavy items, I still prefer plastic bags. I do have sturdier versions of these cloth bags though but I always forget to bring them. And they take up more space than these lighter cloth bags. But I bring them whenever we plan to do grocery shopping.
Our cars are always equipped with those cloth bags that we use for shopping. Whatever car we use (we have 2) there is a stock of those re-usable plastic bags that are very useful. Supermarkets here do not charge for the brown bag but those brown bag can easily tear and may ruin your goods when they fall on the floor. Those green cloth bags are cheap anyway, just about 20 cents and you have one. What's to feel good on using those cloth bags is the thought that you are contributing to the health of the environment.
As plastic bags were banned several years ago where I live and there isn't even the option of buying either paper or plastic bags anymore - always bringing my own shopping bag or bags with me whenever I go shopping - is something that now actually seems quite normal - and should I ever forget - which would be rare as I now usually have spares either in my car or bag - as most fold up real small - its never a problem as re-usable eco bags can generally be picked up at the checkout in most stores for around 50 cents to $1. That said - I do kind of much prefer the eco bags - as not only are they washable and extremely sturdy in comparison to the flimsy plastic bags we used to have to pay 5 cents for - but considering they're so cheap to buy and last for years - are good value for money - especially as they're also very useful for all kinds of things other than just shopping.
Even before stores started "punishing" those who didn't bring their shopping bags, because I hated plastic bags, I always used reusable shopping bags. I lived with someone who could sew and for her, making shopping bags was quite easy so it's these grocery bags I used. Making shopping bags you could use numerous times isn't that hard. Interested? Log In
They always have reusable bags for sale here in the states, even though most stores still provide bags for no additional cost. Aldi will let you take empty stocking boxes and use them as a grocery carrying implement, but unless you're a pro this can be a little awkward.
I simply get them from the shops and boutiques that offer them when we buy things from their store. We actually don't buy them at all, we receive them for free.
