5p bag charge - your views

Nick_C

Yolina wrote: »

Fair point Nick, though donations to registered charity are tax-deductible, which I guess is an incentive are general "good causes" tax-deductible? And no, I don't expect shops to do anything other than what's in their best interest.

You're right. Donations to charities are deductable, other donations generally are not.

I think some of the big supermarkets may already giving some money to community schemes that may not be charities.

And of course this begs the question whether any new money will go to charities. The supermarkets already make charitable donations. They could claim all the money from the sale of carrier bags is going to charity, while quietly cutting other donations that they were already making. Time will tell.

Yolina

Nick_C wrote: »

They could claim all the money from the sale of carrier bags is going to charity, while quietly cutting other donations that they were already making.

Quite possibly, particularly given that they have to tell DEFRA what they do with the money from the bag charge, and the information will be published every year; so in terms of PR, it's not going to look good if they're not seen to pass the money on. All smoke and mirrors

I like this bit of "useful" advice "You can avoid paying the charge by reusing single use plastic carrier bags". But, but, but if I reuse a single use carrier bag, it really shouldn't be sold as single use in the first place because it's, in fact, reusable And when I run out of single use carrier bags to reuse, I have to buy more single use carrier bags to reuse so in reality I can't avoid paying.

KxMx

Haven't like the pedal bin liners, far too thin.

Tried the "carrier bag" pedal liners from Poundworld, 40 to a roll, these are far superior and I think as close to a normal carrier robustness as we'll get.

System

Today I saw someone that needed someone to shout 'serves you right' at a bloke. He bought 6 litres of spirits. Didn't have any bags, buy any or took the FREE cardboard bottle carrier.

Left the store carrying the bottles and about 50yards down the road as he went to his car. As he trying to get his car keys out of his pocket, two bottles slipped and smashed onto the floor.

Next time he will get so m e bags

barmonkey

General_Grant wrote: »

Surely the law is that any shop is permitted to charge for any bag it wants to? So it is not that a shop is supposed not to charge for bags above a defined thickness. At least charging for every bag keeps things simple.

You are missing the point, they dont have to charge for bags above 50microns, they have never charged for their bags, which are way above 50microns, but are now and are telling people they are doing it because its the law. money from these bags does not go to charity, just like the supermarket bags for life.

oliviarose

I have been re-using the same bags for years, as soon as I empty the shopping out at home I put the bags straight back in the car, that way you always have them, no matter when you shop

Nick_C

barmonkey wrote: »

You are missing the point, they dont have to charge for bags above 50microns, they have never charged for their bags, which are way above 50microns, but are now and are telling people they are doing it because its the law. money from these bags does not go to charity, just like the supermarket bags for life.

The limit is 70 microns, not 50 microns. And I think few people would know whether or not a plastic bag was more than 70 microns!

According to The Telegraph,

Most plastic Bags for Life from supermarkets are actually still below the 70 microns threshold, at between 50 and 70 microns, according to Defra.
Retailers are still obliged to charge 5p for them, but they won't be counted as part of the single-use bag levy scheme, so long as they are designed for multiple usage and the retailer will replace them free of charge if they break.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/11892387/Carrier-bag-5p-charge-everything-you-need-to-know.html

Yolina

Nick_C wrote: »

And I think few people would know whether or not a plastic bag was more than 70 microns!

Whilst on the subject of bag thickness, I did some research earlier this month before ordering from fleabay a typical carrier from a supermarket is 18 microns and size-wise is 12x19x21. Anything below 12 microns is going to be flimsy stuff; 14 microns up is fine; and 11x17x21 is the perfect size for my bin

Nick_C

Got a Waitrose delivery this morning. Paid 40p for bags. Only got 7. I feel robbed! lol

Yolina

Call CS and demand that they bring you an extra bag :rotfl: