Bargain - B&Q carrier bags only 5p each . . . .

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?

Reply to
fred
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It was mentioned on BBC2 Working Lunch last week. B&Q have had to do this in their Eire stores and are now trying it here.

Reply to
Tony Bryer

I'm not impressed with your response. We always carry Bags for Life carriers with me when we go shopping. They cost 10p each and have lasted a very long time. We sometimes also carry cloth bags, they're suitable for loose vegetables with soil sticking to them.

They're all suitable for bits and pieces from shed shelves, even wire wool.

Mary

Reply to
Mary Fisher

Personally, I think it's a decent idea.

However what woudl have pissed me off is the lack of any forewarning that this is what they are doing. I've been in and out of the local warehouse a few times last wek but didn't see anything on it. I've just heard today on the radio that it is currently only in Scotland, with plans to role out nationwide.

cheers

David

Reply to
David

As do we, even giving our surplus to our mate who runs a local cycle shop. Lot's of folk don't recycle them though .. judging by the number that land in my front garden?

Better they do that than just *pocket* the difference eh Fred? And if you take your own or 'lifetime' bags you aren't forced to contribute anything to anyone?

I wouldn't be bother to lobby anyone re carrier bags Fred .. not while folk are being stabbed on the street?

Ok, as long as you walked there .... otherwise the wasted fuel would have cost more than a fistfull of bags and worse for the environment?

I certainly didn't need the 2

Doh! Might have been worth the 5p then?

I nearly said 'disinterested' but you genuinly seemed like you wanted some replies. I might be effected as I am a shopper but the solution is fairly easy .. we do what our parents have always done and go shopping with a shopping bag or two! I often have a carrier bag (or more) in my jacket pockets and there are always a few in each of the cars / bikes / cycles if we are out and decide to buy something. If shopping for bits I often just fill my pockets (at the checkout that is ), saves leaving the bag somewhere!

We also have a sign on the front door saying 'No free papers'. Enough still come through for the odd job that neads some, but it saves having to fill up the recycling box with unread (nor wanted) free papers?

We also subscribe to MPS (

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) and that means even less paper to recycle (stopping it a source).

All the best Fred ..

T i m

Reply to
T i m

Totally brilliant idea, should have happened years ago. Personally I almost always refuse the carrier bags, as I use them for a few minuites, and chuck them away.

I lived in Switzerland, where such ideas are more prevelant, if I had my way, the whole country would be doing the swiss levels of re-cycling the day after I became prime minister. Richard Brunstrooms "speed pigs" would become the recycling police, with the ability to issue massive on the spot fines.

The Germans have squads that search your bins that you put out, to make sure you recycle all the right stuff.

Rick

Reply to
Rick Dipper

It didn't work for the Poll Tax did it?

DG

Reply to
Derek *

They could do much more for the environment if they stopped retailing everything in blister packs etc. IMO. Just what can you use am empty blister pack for, a plastic bag can be used for many purposes around the home.

Reply to
:::Jerry::::

"We hav vays of making it werk"

And a good thing too? It seems some folk will only 'bother' when forced into it and even then get it wrong ..

The number of times I have seen a large box full of mixed household rubbish in the 'carboard only' skip, just because the box itself is cardboard? And how difficult is it to flat pack a box *before* you use it to completely fill the small wheely recycling bins at the local council offices?

On the flip side I've been warned off *a* council recycling place because it's not *my* local recycling place .. even though ecology dictates I should use the one I'm going to be driving past (rather than going in the opposite direction)?

All the best ..

T i m

Reply to
T i m

Although, in some cases, I dare say the blister helps protect the contents from damage .. preventing more 'waste' (should it get broken).

Or, we could have small shops in the high street selling all those little bits n bobs like they used to and serving the stuff up in paper bags and .. ah .. ;-(

All the best ,,

T i m

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Reply to
T i m

You mean weighing nails and not being able to buy twelve when you really want fourteen?

Bliss.

All those drawers full of really useful stuff - and men and women who actually knew what things were for and what size screw would be best for the job and two types of drawer handle so that you didn't have to make a decision for Spouse?

And a large dog outside with whom you could leave the baby in its pram.

(we lived opposite one like that for four years).

They never offered carrier bags though ...

Mary

Reply to
Mary Fisher

I have one of those - Staple Hill, Bristol

Last stuff I bought was flowers of sulphur and 25% ammonia. No problem finding either.

Reply to
Andy Dingley

We used to sell flowers of sulphur (loose) in the chemists I worked at.

Nostalgia isn't what it used to be ...

Mary

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Reply to
Mary Fisher

It's a good idea. Are you a habitual whinger? You've only wasted a small amount of the store's time, but *you* dragged yourself to B&Q,

*you* found the bits you wanted, took *you* them to the till, had your chat (did *you* have to wait for the manager to arrive), then *you* left without the stuff *you* went there for.

Nose. Spite. Face.

Reply to
Hywel Jenkins

I am not impressed by such ecological friendly responses. And I dont believe them either ( I go round too many supermarkets and DIY stores to be told differently.)

This issue really bugs me and so do the goody goodies who keep telling us to re use carriers.

I am old enough to remember when my mother used to take a SHOPPING BAG with her when she went shopping anywhere. When I was young, I too had one. I had several in fact over the years, a string one which would rollup in your pocket, a fold up one and proper giant job which would carry Mary Poppins wardrobe in it! They lasted for years and years, were strong and carried huge amounts if you got a big sized one.

I stopped using them - or rather I was STOPPED from using it by stores and store detectives because every time I went into a store with my bag they eyed me up with suspicion. So NOW I REQUIRE THEM to provide me with a carrier FREE OF CHARGE EVERY VISIT!!!!!

They created the situation. They need to find another way of solving it - dont put it back onto me and dont charge me for a situation they created.

Reply to
mich

This would be OK if the reason for doing it were genuinely as billed.

Unfortunately, I don't believe it for one minute. Some accountant has looked at the number of bags that they get through and decided that 5p a go is a good wheeze to recover that and more.

If they were genuine, they would do what is common in the U.S. and offer a choice between biodegradable plastic bags or stout paper sacks, free of charge.

That would demonstrate genuine environmental concern, not the imposition of an arbitrary bag tax on customers.

Reply to
Andy Hall

Actually Homebase do this now, they are actually pretty sturdy, we easily carried 4 * 1litre time of paint in it with no problem.

Reply to
Mike Hibbert

Then you'd be putting illegal immigrants out of work you terrible people... ;-)

and I'm not making that up either... the police came and rounded a load up while they were harmlessly counting your screws and nails into packets for the B&Q.

Mark S.

Reply to
Mark S.

er - what don't you believe?

At no time did I tell anyone to re-use carriers, I said that we did, that's all.

I doubt that anyone would eye a string bag with suspicion, you can't hide anything in a string bag. I know - we make them (we don't use them).

And as you suggested, they fold up small, as do cloth bags, and can be carried in a pocket when empty. When full they hide no more than a shop carrier bag - except the transparent ones of course but are you suggesting that nothing can be hid in those either?

That's your privilege.

Er - I haven't put anything back on you.

As it happens, the charge for supermarket carriers - yours or anyone else's - hardly affects us because we very rarely shop in them.

I don't understand your points :-)

Mary

Reply to
Mary Fisher

...

They've been providing the stout brown paper bags for many years.

But their effect on the environment is only lessened if the customer either re-cycles them or puts them in the recycle bin or whatever device is available.

Mary

Reply to
Mary Fisher

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