How do you feel about being charged for bags at the various stores?

[Aunt Bea]

In many cases it's state law to reduce waste and litter.

It’s state law here in New York but it seems to be a pretty symbolic gesture when almost everything in the store is in some sort of disposable container or covered in plastic wrap.

I used to reuse the disposable plastic grocery bags for my trash and am still able to find enough plastic bags from food products to eliminate the need to purchase plastic bags for trash or food storage but it all eventually ends up in the trash.

 

[StarSong]

It’s state law here in New York but it seems to be a pretty symbolic gesture when almost everything in the store is in some sort of disposable container or covered in plastic wrap.

I used to reuse the disposable plastic grocery bags for my trash and am still able to find enough plastic bags from food products to eliminate the need to purchase plastic bags for trash or food storage but it all eventually ends up in the trash.

I stopped using plastic bags for trash since remodeling the kitchen ten years ago. We added the setup pictured below. Front bin for trash, back bin for recyclables. Everything goes directly into the bins except our GK's dirty diapers and other yucky or messy garbage — those are first tied up into the plastic produce bags that we save.

The below fabric trash bag holder was a few dollars and it stores those produce bags and other random small plastic bags we accumulate. I bought it about 25 years ago when some church ladies were doing a fundraiser. It hangs on one of my mug rack pegs.

Kitchen scraps go in a small bowl next to my sink and get dumped a couple of times a day into the appropriate trash bin outside. (LA City supplies us with 3 large trash barrels: regular trash, recyclables, and organic waste like food and lawn clippings.)

I wash out the kitchen trash bins as needed (monthly-ish) and leave them upside down in the sink or back stoop overnight to dry.

Kitchen scraps go in a small bowl next to my sink and get dumped a couple of times a day into the appropriate trash bin outside.

 

[Della]

i rarely shop anyplace but Kroger. In recent years they've forced me to be my own checkout cashier, my own bagger and my own carry-out trunk loader. Considering all the money they save through not having to pay as many employees one might expect to see grocery prices go down. Instead the prices doubled during Covid when we we had no choice but to comply and now the prices have tripled from pre-Covid, just because they found out they could get away with it.

If they ask me to pay for those flimsy plastic bags it might just be last straw time for me.

 

[Lilac]

The only thing I buy from Kroger is their brand of kitten food. I slowed down buying groceries there about 6 or so years ago because the prices were so much higher than other places for the same thing. The final straw was when they stopped cutting & tenderizing meat, like when you would buy a large whole pork tenderloin. I went to three different stores trying to get one cut & the last guy was honest & said all stores were getting rid of the equipment & going to pre-cut meat.

I looked around the other week when I picked up the food & I don't think I'm missing anything.

 

[StarSong]

i rarely shop anyplace but Kroger. In recent years they've forced me to be my own checkout cashier, my own bagger and my own carry-out trunk loader. Considering all the money they save through not having to pay as many employees one might expect to see grocery prices go down. Instead the prices doubled during Covid when we we had no choice but to comply and now the prices have tripled from pre-Covid, just because they found out they could get away with it.

Most of my grocery shopping is done at local produce-focused grocers and Costco.

Aldi is the only national grocery chain I shop regularly, plus Trader Joe's and Walmart (pickup), but to a much lesser extent... maybe $35/month at each. I find national grocery chains' prices outrageously high by comparison.