Plastic Bags

[plocket]

So what do you think of this huge debate about supermarket plastic bags?

Personally I don't have a problem with taking bags to the supermarket - it's what I've been doing for ages and it makes perfect sense to me.

However I do think that some bags should be available in case people just pop in for things or run out of bags, so why can't they make biodegradable bags but charge for them?

[4pygmies]

Quite! What is so difficult about making people use their own bags/baskets? It's only a generation ago since everyone did exactly that! I can remember when the first Safeways opened in our local town and we had brown paper carrier bags if we wanted - at least they were sustainable. Supermarkets are so keen to trumpet their green credentials but this makes a complete mockery of all those claims..charge people money for using the bags and they would very soon take their own bags as a matter of course...

[plocket]

Part of my problem with the whole debate is that although people should be more thoughtful about how many bags they use, it's not just the bags that are the problem - it's ALL packaging. There's far too much of it these days and the packaging should be bio-degradable as well. I think!

[plocket]

I've had the television on for quite a bit today The witch and it's been discussed on The Wright Stuff, Alan Titchmarsh and something else.

I agree with the paper-bag idea - that's what they do in America isn't it? And the bags can still be re-used for household rubbish.

I was impressed the other day that B&Q were using paper bags for peoples' shopping.

[emseypop]

I am in the middle with the whole bag thing. I have my shopping delivered without them. I sometimes use a canvas bag when I'm out shopping, but I find the carrier bags I do get very useful as bin bags. The packaging on toys and easter eggs is very bad. I saw an article on local news about cadburys plans to reduce/improve in easter packaging a few months ago, but alas it wont come into effect till next year

[plocket]

It sounds as though you aren't really in the middle Emsey, but leaning to one side! I agree that plastic bags are useful as bin bags, because I do the same, but that means we use 3 plastic bags a fortnight, on average, because we have three bins that the plastic bags fit into and a fortnightly collection. And yes I do have a few plastic bags around the house because occasionally I nip into the shops without planning to.

It's in the news today The witch that M&S are planning to charge for plastic food-shopping bags. I think they are suggesting 5p but I don't think that's enough to deter people. I mean, if someone were to spend £50 in M&S on food, what's 20p on top for four plastic bags? At the same time though I don't think the Government should ban plastic bags, which is one of the ideas being suggested.

If this country really want to make a difference where plastic is concerned, they need to concentrate on ALL packaging, not just shopping bags!!! If M&S can make disposable sandwich boxes, why can't more packaging be made in a similar way?

[4pygmies]

I think this whole thing about biodegradable plastic bags is a bit of a red herring actually. Obviously it is far far better to not have them at all - they are an environmental disgrace. Sustainably made carrier bags are much more sensible. As Plocket says, 5p a bag surcharge is just silly... Everything that is packaged should be made using biodegradable materials but the whole problem is simply the wasteful and completely profligate way in which we live.....that has to change before we can be said to have tackled the environmental problems we have created.

[cheerypeabrain]

I've tried to always have my own bags when I go shopping. I think my main gripe is with packaging...we have far too much. I still like my fruit & veg etc to be in good condition..and unless they have everything behind the counter to prevent people poking and prodding everything I don't spose that any of the big supermarkets will stop using packaging to protect stuff.

If I buy from supermarkets I generally don't use the plastic bags for putting my loose fruit & veg in...and quite often have to stop the checkout staff from wrapping it all when I'm paying!

Today we went to a nice farm shop...free range meat and poultry..organic fruit and veg & fairtrade chocolate, coffee, bananas etc. However...when I went to pay at the till...there were all the plaggy bags...hmph. At least I was allowed to use my own....

[roan]

We have the same problem with plastic bags, shrink wrapped products etc.

Our fruit and veges in the supermarkets are mostly on display loose so that we can pick and choose the ones we want. If they are in a plastic bag how do we know the ones we can't see aren't rotten?

All meat and dairy products have to be wrapped for hygenic purposes, so not sure how we can get around that one.

At the check out we don't use plastic bags, but repack them loose in our trolley. I have a system of sorting everything in the trolley ready to be transferred into cardboard cartons in our car.

Most of the plastic wrapping etc. is taken by the recyclers, although goodness knows what they do with it!

[debbiem]

plocket said:

It sounds as though you aren't really in the middle Emsey, but leaning to one side! I agree that plastic bags are useful as bin bags, because I do the same, but that means we use 3 plastic bags a fortnight, on average, because we have three bins that the plastic bags fit into and a fortnightly collection. And yes I do have a few plastic bags around the house because occasionally I nip into the shops without planning to.

It's in the news today The witch that M&S are planning to charge for plastic food-shopping bags. I think they are suggesting 5p but I don't think that's enough to deter people. I mean, if someone were to spend £50 in M&S on food, what's 20p on top for four plastic bags? At the same time though I don't think the Government should ban plastic bags, which is one of the ideas being suggested.

If this country really want to make a difference where plastic is concerned, they need to concentrate on ALL packaging, not just shopping bags!!! If M&S can make disposable sandwich boxes, why can't more packaging be made in a similar way?

Our local Aldi has charged for carrier bags forever, and it IS a deterrent. You are so used to getting them for free that you don't buy them on principle, and I think you'd be just as reluctant to pay for them if you'd forgotten your own bag and would make sure you'd end up remembering to bring it! I have a massive 'handbag' at the moment, the size of a beachbag. I started using it in the Summer and somehow am still using this massive beige canvas bag with huge white flowers on it, how cool! ;D BUT you can get loads of shopping in it making it possible to completely blank the carrier bags. The Co op's doing its bit - it's selling cotton bags and have had the biodegradable ones - mind you that didn't last long, they're back to the plastic ones now. I try and use a combination of my big bag and the cotton one.
I hate all that packaging, it's ridiculous and unnecessary.

I think we could all revert back to the time when you brought your own bag along quite easily.

[madonplants]

plocket said:

It sounds as though you aren't really in the middle Emsey, but leaning to one side! I agree that plastic bags are useful as bin bags, because I do the same, but that means we use 3 plastic bags a fortnight, on average, because we have three bins that the plastic bags fit into and a fortnightly collection. And yes I do have a few plastic bags around the house because occasionally I nip into the shops without planning to.

It's in the news today The witch that M&S are planning to charge for plastic food-shopping bags. I think they are suggesting 5p but I don't think that's enough to deter people. I mean, if someone were to spend £50 in M&S on food, what's 20p on top for four plastic bags? At the same time though I don't think the Government should ban plastic bags, which is one of the ideas being suggested.

If this country really want to make a difference where plastic is concerned, they need to concentrate on ALL packaging, not just shopping bags!!! If M&S can make disposable sandwich boxes, why can't more packaging be made in a similar way?

A certain Macdonalds that Jennifer used to go to, has started charging 5p for each tomato ketchup she wants. Conclusion is, she stops going to that particular one.

Back to the point in question. We have canvas bags that we take to do our shopping and 99% we remember to put them BACK IN THE CAR for the next time. That's my fault, really and I get annoyed when I have to use plastic ones, as they are poor quality and can rip easily or hurt your hands, let alone any other issues. Packaging in general isn't brilliant, even though there is supposed to be a directive installed to only use as much as is neccessary. We need to complain more and that includes me. How many times do you open a packet of cakes and there is space for 7, when only 5 are inside?

Keith

[debbiem]

I'm with you with the ketchup thing Keith, that really bugs me! it puts me off going to places that have all those sachets. I have kept a few at other places where you can take as many as you want but they don't do well in the bottom of a humungous bag, they sort of lose their appeal! But I'm with you there - what was wrong with bottles and jars of mustard, and sauces, salt and pepper, those little sachets aren't a proper portion anyway. And honestly, VINEGAR in sachets, that's the limit!

[madonplants]

debbiem said:

I'm with you with the ketchup thing Keith, that really bugs me! it puts me off going to places that have all those sachets. I have kept a few at other places where you can take as many as you want but >:(they don't do well in the bottom of a humungous bag, they sort of lose their appeal! But I'm with you there - what was wrong with bottles and jars of mustard, and sauces, salt and pepper, those little sachets aren't a proper portion anyway. And honestly, VINEGAR in sachets, that's the limit!

Yeah and also how many they give you. If they don't have the pumped ketchup and you have to ask for the sachets (why can't they ask you if you want any sauces, only one to date has done this!) sometimes we get 2 sachets for 4 people and other times they give us six. Come on, it's not hard to realise, that you have served 4 meals, so there should be 4 sachets, is it?
The one time in question in Bromsgrove, we got everything we wanted, asked us for what sauces we needed and when Stephen spilt all his fanta, refused to allow us to pay for a replacement. Now that is what I call service. Why can't they all be like that? Is it too much to ask?

Keith

[debbiem]

True, but four sachets for four people, one each? That's about a thimbleful each, the ketchup ones cover about three chips at a push. At least our local pub has bowls of them where you can take as many sachets as you like - sometimes you might like three different kinds, depending on what you're eating.
Packaging like that's got to go! It's so unnecessary. I think it make a lovely meal a bit 'plastic', too.

[Sweetleaf]

debbiem said:

True, but four sachets for four people, one each? That's about a thimbleful each, the ketchup ones cover about three chips at a push. At least our local pub has bowls of them where you can take as many sachets as you like - sometimes you might like three different kinds, depending on what you're eating.
Packaging like that's got to go! It's so unnecessary. I think it make a lovely meal a bit 'plastic', too.

I hardly ever eat sauces, dont go for vinegar either, so in my own way I help to reduce pollution....come to that, I dont eat MacD`s stuff, apart from the obvious health reasons, its tasteless .....no wonder you need so much sauce, Keith!

I take a shopping trolley to the supermarket, and several re-useable hessian and canvas bags, it makes for ease of unloading if in a vehicle and saves my shoulders if Im not. My children will not be seen with me and a shopping trolley though, apparently its uncool, they would much rather I crippled myself I think.

[4pygmies]

I think it's time to rethink the whole 'convenience' way of life which has made everything so easy for us all really. I can't see why everything has to be laid out on a plate for us anyway - because of that attitude people have forgotten about where food comes from, what is involved with its growing and production and have lost touch with their basic animals instincts.
Us humans, especially in the Western world, seem to think we have the right to have all our requirements when we want, as we want and as cheaply as possible. It's not a good way to live. That's why people like us, who grow and garden, are so important. We have immense power and opportunity to help make this sea change in attitude. If we don't, no one else will do it for us.....

[madonplants]

sweetleaf2 said:

debbiem said:

True, but four sachets for four people, one each? That's about a thimbleful each, the ketchup ones cover about three chips at a push. At least our local pub has bowls of them where you can take as many sachets as you like - sometimes you might like three different kinds, depending on what you're eating.
Packaging like that's got to go! It's so unnecessary. I think it make a lovely meal a bit 'plastic', too.

I hardly ever eat sauces, dont go for vinegar either, so in my own way I help to reduce pollution....come to that, I dont eat MacD`s stuff, apart from the obvious health reasons, its tasteless .....no wonder you need so much sauce, Keith!

I take a shopping trolley to the supermarket, and several re-useable hessian and canvas bags, it makes for ease of unloading if in a vehicle and saves my shoulders if Im not. My children will not be seen with me and a shopping trolley though, apparently its uncool, they would much rather I crippled myself I think.

I don't, but the boys do!! I normally end up passing half mine onto them.

MacDonalds are OK, but I don't get these people who have them morning, noon and night, 7 days a week!! We might have one, once a fortnight, but I wouldn't say they were tasteless!

Keith