Don't know if this is just Scotland (seems to be where all the 'best' ideas are tried out), but B&Q up here has started charging for carrier bags.
I had a little chat with the manager who informed me that it was them doing their little bit to save the environment:
- By encouraging customers to re-use carrier bags
- By charging over cost price for the bags and donating profits to environmental schemes
- By acting ahead of proposed legislation to apply penalty taxes to the sale of carrier bags
I replied that:
- I do re-use carrier bags, to dispose of rubbish, saving the cost/waste of binbags, and to scoop up dog poop that kind owners fail to clear up next to my house, but that I object to paying at a rate of 5p per poop for the privilege.
- If I wish to make a donation to environmental charities, I know where to find them.
- I'll be happy to lobby my elected rep when the introduction of penalty taxes for carrier bags is debated in parliament, until then please don't try to second guess proposed legislation.
I decided I didn't really need the bits & pieces I had collected and left them for the manager to re-stack on the shelves. I certainly didn't need the 2 large hanks of wire wool that were in the basket getting soaked in the rain on the way to the car.
Anyone else effected, unimpressed or disinterested?