OT - Carrier bag charge (or Not)

Oct 18, 2017 13 Replies

Overheard in a shop today (Robert Dyas if it matters)



"Would you like a carrier bag madam"



"How much are they"



"Our carrier bags are free madam - they don't have handles so we don't have to charge - but they are plenty big enough for you to get a good grip on the bag"


I cant see it working for Tesco or Sainsbury but I wasn't aware this loophole existed......



Do they have a reinforced top edge, and some push out panels just below that?

It's the bags you have to pay for that have loopholes in them.

I'll get me coat.

Our little corner shop doesn't charge anyway. Is there an exemption for small shops?

There is an exemption for small businesses and market traders. I get most of my plastic bags from shopping for vegetables on the market.

But they don't have a loophole. ;-)

Yes - I think its something like total company employees less than 500 (or might be 50)

Thank you. It is a useful source of small rubbish bags.

According to Google it's 250 employees.

Which doesn't stop some opportunists with decidely fewer than 250 employees* from trying to charge 5p for some thin gauge piece of advertising costing them around 0.2p in bulk. Being a very sad person, with a very large stock of free bags, when I remember, I try and make a point of always bringing a free bag as previously supplied by their opposition which can be immediately flaunted,when asked whether I want a bag.

Not that anyone bats an eyelid; but then that's the whole point of pointles gestures

michael adams

...

*Small ethnic chains

You can get them in handy sealed pochettes from British Heart Foundation and many other charity shops.

A few times I've been caught without a bag and popped into a charity shop for a free 'donation bag'.

I do take quite a lot in (not always to the shop on the bag!) and buy from them quite often, so I don't feel bad.

Owain

I don't think it applies on paper carriers either. Brian

On a recent trip to Kyrgyzstan we spotted Morrisons bags in a couple of bazaars. No mention of a charge for them!

formatting link

Mike

Yeah Primark still give out paper carriers.

Join the Discussion

Have something to add? Share your thoughts — no account required.

Didn't find your answer?

Ask the community — no account required