Lack of publicity over England's shops charging 5p a bag

Nick_C

From the guidance

You don’t charge for plastic bags that are:

for uncooked fish and fish products
for uncooked meat, poultry and their products

So I think if you are concerned about meat from the self service fridges leaking, the shop can give you a free bag to wrap it. But you mustn't put anything else in that bag! I would have stern words with the manager if M&S treated me that way.

geerex

BlueEyedGirl wrote: »

If they told me off or tried to charge me for protecting my paid for bags (from home) from leaks of fresh meat juices etc. I would tell them where they could shove there shopping!

I wonder if dictionaries qualify for free bags...

System

Hedgehog99 wrote: »

Be careful of that!
We got told off (nastily) in M&S for doing that (& this is before the charge has started nationwide, although M&S already charge 5p for their standard-size carrier bags at the till).
You're OK taking last week's produce bags with you to put this week's meat in, but don't take new bags from the produce aisles for meat the same day - those bags are only free for loose produce.

How on earth do they know the age of the bags used?

I saw a customer with a B4L with Meat written on it in marker pen. You could do that. Had another with Cleaning/Toiletries.

System

A quick question.

If a customer went to my shop with a carrier bag issued for free from Boots ( a few doors from my work) as it contains their prescription medications, could they use this bag to put the purchases from my shop?

We sell nothing that is excempt

wealdroam

ScarletMarble wrote: »

A quick question.

If a customer went to my shop with a carrier bag issued for free from Boots ( a few doors from my work) as it contains their prescription medications, could they use this bag to put the purchases from my shop?

We sell nothing that is excempt

Of course they can.

It's their bag and it's a bag being re-used.

balletshoes

ScarletMarble wrote: »

A quick question.

If a customer went to my shop with a carrier bag issued for free from Boots ( a few doors from my work) as it contains their prescription medications, could they use this bag to put the purchases from my shop?

We sell nothing that is excempt

yes - just as they could right now. You can use any carrier bag you have on you/already have been given earlier that day, from any shop, in any shop. Just as it is right now.

BlueEyedGirl

Just counted my bag collection, 17 decent bags (8 jute bags, 5 cotton shoppers and 4 nylon foldable shoppers) so I don't think I will get caught out! :rotfl:

Hedgehog99

ScarletMarble wrote: »

How on earth do they know the age of the bags used?

I saw a customer with a B4L with Meat written on it in marker pen. You could do that. Had another with Cleaning/Toiletries.

The assistant suspected it was a new bag from the produce section because it was loose in the trolley rather than being taken out of a pocket or other bag. She asked and we explained it was a new bag because we didn't want to put the meat pack straight in to a fabric bag and the that the produce bag was the smallest possible bag to use (smaller than the currently-free small lunch carriers at the tills), but the assistant rudely said "Well you won't be able to do that after the 5th of October [continued with unnecessary rant]" ...but she did say we could re-use an old produce bag another week.

Agree, could label bags, but don't really want to re-use the meat ones other than as rubbish bags. Will re-use bread bags etc. instead.

Hedgehog99

Tonight, Waitrose had big carrier bags that they normally use for home-delivery, so I got a couple of those free because they will be good for buying clothes & keeping them clean & dry in case I need to return them.

Bogof_Babe

That's a good point ^ . If I'm returning something I always try to take it back in the bag I was sold it in. I just think it adds authenticity! Oh well, they will have to get used to people pulling clothes out of a bag that might have had goodness knows what in, and asking for a refund.

They are going to miss out on all the on-bag publicity too. I felt quite guilty putting my M&S shopping in an Asda carrier bag yesterday.