Asda - carrier bags

marleyboy

I am more than happy to pay for a carrier bag, but I wont be blamed for the environment for not producing a bag by some supermarket who packs my sandwiches in plastic, my fruit in plastic, my meat products in (double) plastic, in fact every item I buy from them minus the tins, wrapped in plastic.

Lets not forget it was not the customer who came up with the idea of replacing brown paper bags, glass bottles and cardboard boxes (which were all recycled in those days), simply because the supermarkets at the time decided it was much more cost effective to package the items in such a way. Environmental issues were somehow (completely ignored) when they "The Supermarkets" introduced plastic packaging for their items to be sold in.

This being the case, I don't think ANY supermarket can preach "environmental" issues over a 5p carrier bag whilst insisting on serving us our products in a very Unvironmental way as they do.

Ultimatley the blame lies at the hands of the store that sells the products, not the customer who purchases them.

KennyVader

beth464 wrote: »

No, the profit they make goes to the Groundwork charity. Yes, it may be good publicity, but they've raised money for charity and cut down on bags. I don't see why that's such a bad thing. You could go on and on claiming they only do it to make money or attract "green" customers, but at the end of the day the facts are: charge 5p for a bag, put customers off using one unnecessarily, give the profit from the bag to charity.

The most you could argue is that they now cover the cost value of the bags as they are only giving PROFIT to charity. But still...

M&S quietly make a tidy profit from the money that they're NOT now spending on bags to give away for free!

Have a look at their other shelves anyway. If they were as concerned about the environment as they claim, why are they still packaging so many items in so much needless package?

Yoghurt pots, crisp packets, drinks bottles, salad containers etc etc. Not to mention the plastic trays that all this stuff gets shipped to the shelves on which are then binned.

It's all a deception, because jumping on the carrier bag bandwagon was cool, and people fall for it.

54druids

:j

beth464 wrote: »

The point is that the supermarkets have to have some way of putting people off taking bags. Having worked as a cashier before I've seen the amount of people who suddenly "remember" the bag they've got in their handbag when you mention the 5p charge.
It's not about the money, it's about putting people off!

do you mean that cashiers are actively encouraged to make customers feel uncomfortable?
How about this one that i heard about within the last week. A man spends £150 at the checkout in Tesco and the cashier refuses to give him a bag - man is furious. The next day a pal of mine goes in to the same shop and spends £6 - is offered a bag no problem. The point I am making is one of consistency. Put a sign up and say you will no longer be offering bags from xx date and then don't. I seemed to remember Tesco did this and then the bags were still there. People will soon learn, soon bring their own and yes, maybe even fold them into little triangles (I liked that video). If the staff are trying to encourage customers not to bring their own bad they should have some standard response and it should be a polite one.
Ok that's it, I am off to practice folding my carrier bags into triangles as per the earlier post.

Fire_Fox

"ASDA and Veolia Environmental Services are celebrating after unveiling the UK's first zero waste to landfill store in Bootle, Merseyside.

The "low carbon" store, which opened in October last year, previously diverted 99% of its operational waste away from landfill. However, following the removal of the store's waste compactor, the supermarket has pledged to go even further and will stop sending the remaining 1% of its food, recycling and general store waste produced at the store to landfill - the highest level of landfill diversion of any supermarket store to date.

Instead, the supermarket will segregate any waste that is produced (including food waste, dry-recyclables and non-recyclable material) so that it can be sent via ASDA's fleet of delivery trucks to its purpose-built recycling centre in Skelmersdale, where the material will be consolidated. Where appropriate, Veolia will then manage the recycling of materials or reprocessing to create green energy.

The announcement is the latest in a line of initiatives introduced by ASDA to reduce its carbon footprint by driving efficiency across its business.

ASDA, which has already committed to send zero waste to landfill from its existing chain of stores and depots by the end of 2010, currently diverts more than 65% of its operational waste from landfill sites. It also recycles more than 150,000 tonnes of cardboard and nearly 9,000 tonnes of plastic waste each year through its seven recycling centres across the UK.

Julian Walker-Palin, Head of ASDA's Sustainability Policy, said "This is a major step towards ensuring that we reach our goal of sending zero waste to landfill by the end of the 2010.

"Not only will our commitment have a huge impact on the environment, it will also save us money which we can plough back into lowering prices for our customers, whilst proving to the rest of the industry that it can be done. We certainly hope that other retailers will follow our lead so that together we can consign landfill sites to the history books."

Tom Spaul, Chief Operating Officer of Veolia Environmental Services (UK) Plc said: "This model will take ASDA to zero waste to landfill by the end of 2010. The progress made by ASDA and ourselves clearly demonstrates our strong working relationship and respective ability to lead on environmental initiatives that will inevitably shape the future."
http://www.wasteawarescotland.org.uk...sp?NewsID=1011

beth464

54druids wrote: »

:j

do you mean that cashiers are actively encouraged to make customers feel uncomfortable?
How about this one that i heard about within the last week. A man spends £150 at the checkout in Tesco and the cashier refuses to give him a bag - man is furious. The next day a pal of mine goes in to the same shop and spends £6 - is offered a bag no problem. The point I am making is one of consistency. Put a sign up and say you will no longer be offering bags from xx date and then don't. I seemed to remember Tesco did this and then the bags were still there. People will soon learn, soon bring their own and yes, maybe even fold them into little triangles (I liked that video). If the staff are trying to encourage customers not to bring their own bad they should have some standard response and it should be a polite one.
Ok that's it, I am off to practice folding my carrier bags into triangles as per the earlier post.

No, I don't mean that at all. If you read my post properly you'd see that I mean the 5p charge puts people off. I don't work for Tesco, and as far as I know Tesco don't charge for bags yet!

Tigsteroonie

*MF* wrote: »

My apologies - I haven't read all the posts - but am just interested in whether anyone else uses this technique for having a carrier bag (or two or more) handy.

Ever since I saw it done - (ok, it takes a few seconds to do), but it has worked for me.

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/1568252/how_to_fold_a_plastic_bag/

I use that folding technique on my empty crisp packets :rotfl: :rotfl:

sheeps68

Jaffa. wrote: »

Has anyone used them self-service things in Asda? Seriously every single item needed assistance! I later found out that it was because I had my own bags and they added extra weight to the bagging area.

Didn't think that one through, did they

Oh yes a complete nightmare! Have given up even attempying to use the self scan! it does just the same if you dont need a bag for just one item or find it difficult to use the bagging area in quite the way they wish. Eg a disability!

sheeps68

DCodd wrote: »

Would like to ask how many of you have councils that will not take your bin unless the rubbish is in a plastic bag? Mine won't and now that getting the thin Cra**y bags from some supermarkets is getting harder people in my area are buying the thicker bin bags to put there rubbish in and that all adds up to MORE plastic, but as we have to pay for them thats seems to be ok!!

Another, charge the public and raise income and magically the environmental problem goes away, policy:mad: because of course we can remove all pollutants in the world by taxing it, the money cleans the environmrent!!!

Need we say more!

adidas

I too work for Asda and it is nationwide policy to:

- not have bags at the ends of tills anymore
- 'remind' every customer about the bags for life
- offer the choice of plastic (free) bags or bags for life

The government has given the supermarkets a target to reduce carrier bag usage by 50%. And I have to say that the runners (supervisors on checkouts) were putting us as checkout operators under pressure to use less bags. I remember on one occasion asking for more bags and being told that it was my fault that I'd given out so many bags! On other occasions it has taken runners a long time to get bags and they seem to limit us to say 100 bags at a time so we as checkout operators have to constantly ask for them.

I do think it's better to reduce usage but I feel it's going too far now. We had a 30 minute presentation about Asda 'bag policy' the other day, basically saying to never refuse a customer a bag, which I personally wouldn't have done anyway. And that there is 'concern' from big cheeses regarding local policies to reduce usage (it forms part of the stores bonus).

I think that fellow MSErs should be easier on us because we are only doing our job. If you don't like the policy then there's not a great deal that I can personally do about it. I too, am fed up of the 'left it in my car' excuse and the constant jibes about bags. I honestly couldn't care why you haven't bought your bags, but I do sometimes make a comment about this by making friendly conversation, although when you serve 1 - 200 customers a day, it does wear a bit thin towards the end of the day.

There are checkout operators who tell customers to remember their bags and yes, I can see this is patronising and don't do it myself. But you have to understand this is nationwide policy now! With regards to comments made about when people say they have their own bags, I don't feel that saying 'well done' or 'great' is patronising (unless it is said in a condescending manner). A lot of customers will say 'oh yes I've done well this time (for bringing bags)' so it works both ways and is something that may open up conversation (which is another thing which we are encouraged to do with customers).

Yes at the end of the day, the customer is always right, but try and not be narrow minded and talk down to us, we do not appreciate it at all.

sheeps68

Sandieflowers wrote: »

We are both in are sixties and had not planned on a shopping trip today, we decided on the 'hop' to call into Asda in Cwmbran, South Wales, so we didn't have any bags with us. We were treated like 'enemies of the planet' for asking for some bags to put our shopping in and given a lecture on how we should keep our re-usable bags in the car for these 'spur' of the moment' shopping trips.

We are both old enough to know how to recycle these bags and dispose of them without hanging them on trees in the countryside and certainly do not need 'checkout staff' telling us to organize ourselves.

If Asda are so concerned about 'saving the planet' then perhaps they should provide some strong paper bags for people like us who haven't actually planned a shopping trip.

I was all for leaving the shopping (over £70) on the conveyor belt and it was only the thought of leaving someone else having to put it all back that stopped me.

Goodbye Asda, I won't be shopping with you again.

Oh so familiar a topic with my local Asda. I have also been made to feel like a naughty school child for failing to have my bags with me. I was once told to "RUN" to the car and get them when I said I'd managed to leave in the car. NO! Would they have said that if I had a walking stick or chair i.e. a visible disabilty. Somehow I doubt it! Had I of tried they'd have been calling an ambulance!

They've refused me a bag and told me I could balance it all and carry it! Oh how I wish that was true. Had I of tried it would have been like a scene from Crackerjack! On that occasion I abandoned my shopping as there was no way of carrying it to the car. What else was I to do? A real nuisance to me as then had to find energy I didnt have, go elsewhere so not just a loss for the store.

Despite the signs of offering to help customers to pack bags to staff! they've refused when I asked for help just saying they'd go slow!

95% of the time for a big shop I take bags in. One's I personally find easier! If I do get carrier bags they are then re-used as bin bags.

However should I go to the store further away they are polite helpful etc and ask about bags in a considerate way. I personally make a point of saying thank-you for any help etc as these little things make a day much nicer for us all. As a result I rarely go to my local store now and use Sainsburys much of the time.