Plastic, paper, or take your own bag(s)?

applecruncher

applecruncher

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Ohio USA
I used to just save the plastic bags and when I accumulated a good sized bunch I took them to the recycle bin on my next trip to the store. Now I don’t accumulate nearly as many because I take my own bags about 50% of the time.

I like meat or ice cream and frozen items bagged separately, but it got frustrating to buy 12 (dry) items and come home with 8 plastic bags. I do sometimes use the plastic bags for scooping the litter box or wrapping and disposing of onion peels, fidh paper, etc. or even liners for bathroom trash can - but plastic from produce section is also good for that. I have a couple large paper bags tucked beside the frig, but those are rare now days.

I'm getting better. I have a couple of very lightweight non-bulky (but durable) bags I can easily fold and tuck into my purse.
 

I use the cloth bags which I bought from the stores where I shop....and the stores really don't care which bags you use. (But I try to use THAT store's bags.)
Once in awhile I buy more than the bag will hold and have to pay a dime extra for one of their plastic ones which I don't mind because I find use for an occasional plastic bag for trash or garbage etc. IF the cloth bag wears out, I'll buy another one; they usually cost about a $ or a few cents more.
 
In South Australia plastic bags were banned some time ago don't rememer when, While on a recent trip to Perth (Western Aus) ,, plastic is still used there, Same in NSW
We have got used to supplying /Taking our own,I have some from Woolworths That fold into a small attached pouch I like tem for the reason being able to wash them in the machine over and over again...
 

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I have some great nylon-like net bags with solid bottoms that are awesome for groceries. Sometimes the baggers fill them a little too full (too heavy) but then I can bring most everything in in one trip. I like that. My biggest problem is remembering to take them or even to bring them oou of the car and into the store....
 
I always choose paper if it's available. Easier to carry more stuff and I use the bags for all sorts of things.
If they start charging for them, I'll pay, within reason.
 
I only use a cloth bag when shopping at the natural grocery store, because they don't provide bags anymore. I usually get plastic at the supermarkets, but sometimes I ask for paper. I re-use the bags for all the small trash cans in my house, and sometimes for dog cleanup at the park. I have a lower cabinet in the kitchen next to the stove that's dedicated for plastic grocery bags.
 
Dame Warrigal said:
Paper is not an option at supermarkets in NSW. I have a bootful of environmentally friendly reusable bags which I take out when I'm shopping.
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I have not seen any paper bags, in any supermarkets, When we go to Coolangatta each year we shop in Tweed Heads ,, (TH is In NSW for people who don't live in Aus) Aldi supermarket is the only one in that part of Qld / NSW who don't supply any bags at all.
 
Mrs. Robinson said:
I have some great nylon-like net bags with solid bottoms that are awesome for groceries. Sometimes the baggers fill them a little too full (too heavy) but then I can bring most everything in in one trip. I like that. My biggest problem is remembering to take them or even to bring them oou of the car and into the store....
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I have these eco friendly Net bags which hold a vast amount. My mum had them when I was a child and then with the onset of Plastic carrier bags they soon went out of favour ..but now with so many trying to be greener, they're back in Vogue..s916196605913044878_p116_i17_w349.jpeg

Unlike the rest of the UK Plastic carrier bags are free here in England , but by the end of the year there will be a levy of 5p on every bag provided the store is over a certain size..small shops will be exempt from charging
 
"Paper is not an option here"

Yes it is, particularly in places Ike farm shops and chippies.

Still have to pay for paper bags even though they are eminently bio-degradable, particularly in the first rainstorm, normally just when you are getting on a bus!

Incidentally, why do people with their own bags still insist on packing them at the checkout?

Why not just pace your stuff back in the trolley and pack someplace off the till so that others can go through?
 
I agree Laurie...and paper carrier bags have been used in the discount clothes retailer Primark since the beginning .....our farm shops too only supply Paper bags..and as I haven't been in a chippy for , forever, I wouldn't know about those..
 
Laurie said:
"Paper is not an option here"

Yes it is, particularly in places Ike farm shops and chippies.

Still have to pay for paper bags even though they are eminently bio-degradable, particularly in the first rainstorm, normally just when you are getting on a bus!

Incidentally, why do people with their own bags still insist on packing them at the checkout?

Why not just pace your stuff back in the trolley and pack someplace off the till so that others can go through?
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The paper the OP is referring to though is large paper bags that are offered at the checkout of US supermarkets. Someone bags your groceries and they ask 'paper or plastic'.
 
Laurie said:
"Paper is not an option here"

Yes it is, particularly in places Ike farm shops and chippies.

Still have to pay for paper bags even though they are eminently bio-degradable, particularly in the first rainstorm, normally just when you are getting on a bus!

Incidentally, why do people with their own bags still insist on packing them at the checkout?

Why not just pace your stuff back in the trolley and pack someplace off the till so that others can go through?
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You've never seen me shop! I'm a fast and organised bagger. Plus I buy a LOT at one time and your method sounds like a nightmare.
 
We shop at Aldis so your own way of bagging is a must. We wheel groceries out to car and we put our items into a plastic tote. Freezer items go into bags we bought at Aldis. When I get home, I carry tote into kitchen and help mama put things away. Works just fine for us.
 
Ameriscot said:
There are no baggers in UK markets, although sometimes the cashier will offer to help.
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Interesting. I didn't know this.
Most of us in US even remember carry-out boys. They bagged and carried groceries to car and they were not tipped. It was part of the job.
 
applecruncher said:
Interesting. I didn't know this.
Most of us in US even remember carry-out boys. They bagged and carried groceries to car and they were not tipped. It was part of the job.
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I remember the guys carrying the bags out to the car at certain stores and giving them a small tip. My son was a bagger at Kroger when he was young. It took me a long time to get used to packing my own bags here. I'd stand there waiting to pay and then realize, ack, I'm supposed to be bagging my stuff! When a cashier offers or asks if I need help, I always say no thanks. I have a system that works well. At a different store a cashier once helped me bag and put a bag of potatoes on top of my strawberries!!!
 
applecruncher said:
When I was a teen cashier I remember a carry out boy getting a tip and telling us. It was unusual.
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My son said when he was a bagger he knew the good tippers and all the baggers would try to get to the line she was in. I always tipped but never a lot as I didn't have much money then.
 
Ameriscot said:
There are no baggers in UK markets, although sometimes the cashier will offer to help.
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The supermarket I started work with as a cashier did have porters/packers, if a customer wanted a packer we used to call for one, it was when that particular supermarket was taken over they did away with the porter/packer title and they were just called porters where they do the main of their work outside, but it is now part of the cashiers job and customer service to ask if the customer needs help with packing....the majority of customers nowadays bring their own bags and prefer to do their own packing but the cashiers are still expected to ask if they need help...............I once had a customer report me for not asking her if she needed any help with packing.

I can only speak for the supermarket/company that I worked for, for 17 1/2 years.
 
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Up until about the mid 60's the grocery stores in our home town would keep a large bin of the leftover boxes up front near the cash register.
You could choose from them instead of paper bags for your groceries. We had lots of nice storage boxes at our house.

Few of the packers now know how to put groceries in a paper bag. Just throw everything in like a plastic one. I usually have
to do some rearranging, so I wouldn't mind packing my own.
 
Our grocery cashiers will bag our purchases (very fast). We can purchase the shop plastic carrier for about $1.

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