Asda charging for carrier bags?

muppetman73

There are 2 main reasons why Asda has clamped down on the distribution of carrier bags, I have posted them below

1 - The number of bags that go straight to landfill and obviously harm the enviroment
2 - The goverment challenged all the major supermarkets to reduce the amount of plastic carrier bags they were giving away,apparently if they dont meet there agreed targets then quite large fines will be imposed on these retailers.

Smidster

It dirves me mad when I hear people go on and on about plastic bags ruining the planet as it is utter rubbish.

wookie_2

The good thing about Aldi/Lidal, in our area is they have loads of free boxes to put your goods in. Problem solved for us as they get recycled.

antrobus

lightisfading wrote: »

Supermarkets' purpose in life is to make as much money as possible. Full stop.

The same is true of every company.

lightisfading wrote: »

Also, even if they are making massive profits, supermarket prices are artificially low - often pricing things below the actual cost of production.

That doesn't make sense. How can they simultaneously be making "massive profits" and have prices that are "artificially low".

lightisfading wrote: »

If the can of beans you bought was a penny more you wouldn't notice it.

Yes I would. And besides I'd APG it and get my penny back. Come to think of it, if ASDA started charging for bags, wouldn't you just get the money back through the APG?

P.S. ASDA isn't charging for plastic bags. Not at my ASDA anyway.

antrobus

Smidster wrote: »

It dirves me mad when I hear people go on and on about plastic bags ruining the planet as it is utter rubbish.

I remember looking at it once: only about 20% of the waste that goes to landfill is household waste (the rest is commercial) and about 20% of household waste is packaging, so plastic bags likely make up some very small fraction of a percentage point of what untilmately ends up in landfill. Which is apart from the fact that the bags produced by the Co-Op and Tesco are biodegradable anyway, so what does it matter?

There really are far more important things to worry about if you're concerned about 'saving the planet' or whatever.

lightisfading

antrobus wrote: »

That doesn't make sense. How can they simultaneously be making "massive profits" and have prices that are "artificially low".

The supermarkets fix prices at artificially low prices to get shoppers in.

Supermarkets set up contracts with suppliers (farmers, etc) - they pretty much have no option but to sign up with them as the supermarkets have such a monopoly (if they didn't sign up for supermarket contracts they'd go bust). Then the supermarkets basically give them a price they want to buy at, and they have no choice but to sell to them for that price - often below cost.

The supermarkets still make their cut, of course, but they're screwing over farming industry in the process.

lightisfading

antrobus wrote: »

about 20% of household waste is packaging

So what's the other 80%?

QuackQuackOops

Its about time they charged 50p per bag, never mind 1p. That is the only way to stop people using them without thought. So many people I know take the carrier bags to use as bin liners, therefore they are saving on that cost.

The supermarkets could then give the 50p per bad to environmental charities.

It also pees me off whenever a shop assistant (anyway) asks me if I want a bag. I wish they would not ask. Wait until the customer asks for one and then charge for it.

QuackQuackOops

geordie_joe wrote: »

No, it's a way of telling asda that you do not like it and won't stand for it.

You may think it's not worth the effort just for a penny, but what you really mean is you haven't got the bottle to stand up and say you won't stand for it. So you will meekly pay the penny, then pay 20p to use the toilets when they introduce that because they know you will meekly accept it. Then start paying a quid to use a trolley, instead of paying a quid deposit, when they bring that in because they know you will meekly accept it.

You won't have the bottle to tell them you won't stand for it, but you will have the bottle to come in here and complain to us about it.

This is why prices are so high, not because of some shortage in another country, but because people just meekly pay the increase and believe the excuse about shortages because it is easier than standing up to the vendors. They don't have to admit they are weak, because they have an excuse to hide behind.

If you don't believe me, take a look in any supermarket in the evening, and see what they do to the prices of stuff the people didn't buy.

Try being a man (or woman) and stop telling yourself it is not worth it for a penny, and tell your self it is worth it to let them know I will not be walked on and not be made to pay for the same item twice.

because if you don't, you'll be back here complaining that they are charging you and entrance fee to get into the supermarket and an exit fee to get back out again.

We do not pay for the bags twice. After an introduction of 1p per bag some goods within the store are reduced or have delayed price increases.

Also, abandoning shopping and going elsewhere for the sake of a few pence is ridiculous. My time is worth more than 10p per hour or even half an hour if I shop quick.

custardy

QuackQuackOops wrote: »

Its about time they charged 50p per bag, never mind 1p. That is the only way to stop people using them without thought. So many people I know take the carrier bags to use as bin liners, therefore they are saving on that cost.

The supermarkets could then give the 50p per bad to environmental charities.

It also pees me off whenever a shop assistant (anyway) asks me if I want a bag. I wish they would not ask. Wait until the customer asks for one and then charge for it.

do you really think they would pass that on?