carrier bag charge for packaged raw meat

italiastar

Can an English supermarket charge 5p for a plastic carrier bag containing packaged raw meat - i accept it wss packaged, but packaging felt wet so culd be leaking. I would have expected at eat a bag, not necessarity carrier bag.

unholyangel

I think perhaps you're misunderstanding. The law is not to allow them to charge for bags, it is to force them to charge for bags in most (not all) circumstances.

Retailers are not required to charge for bags for raw meat, but there's nothing stopping them doing it either.

Perhaps not explained it the most clear way but hopefully you get my meaning.

marliepanda

In addition (and probably repeating) the above, a shop can charge you for anything that you want to remove from the store.

Free bags do not have to be given.

suki1964

your raw meat was packaged was it not?

Or did you pop in to the butches and ask for a 1lb of mince and supply your own container?

The law in England says that single use bags CAN be charged for, and the money SHOULD be donated to a charity - after taking costs into consideration

So yes, your local shop - whilst under no LEGAL obligation to charge - can in fact do so - as long as the meat was wrapped

d123

The .gov guidelines say:

You’re not required to charge for plastic bags that are for:

uncooked fish and fish products
uncooked meat, poultry and their products
unwrapped food for animal or human consumption - eg chips, or food in containers that aren’t secure enough to prevent leakage during handling
unwrapped loose seeds
flowers
bulbs, corms or rhizomes (roots, stems and shoots, such as ginger).
goods contaminated by soil (like potatoes or plants)

So you should be able to get a bag of some sort to protect your bag for life/other shopping from any possible contamination.

If a cashier refused to bag meat that you thought might leak, did you think to ask for a superviser or manager?

italiastar

unholyangel wrote: »

I think perhaps you're misunderstanding. The law is not to allow them to charge for bags, it is to force them to charge for bags in most (not all) circumstances.

Retailers are not required to charge for bags for raw meat, but there's nothing stopping them doing it either.

Perhaps not explained it the most clear way but hopefully you get my meaning.

Thank you. The store actually said that they were charging because it was the law. I actually support the charge and will willingly pay 5p for the bags that Sainsburys supply. It is the ultra thin bags that are unfit for purpose that i resent as they cannot be resused and your lucky to get your items home.

Interstingly Harrods woudn't dare charge their customers, they've got round the law by supplying thicker better quality bags.

italiastar

d123 wrote: »

The .gov guidelines say:



So you should be able to get a bag of some sort to protect your bag for life/other shopping from any possible contamination.

If a cashier refused to bag meat that you thought might leak, did you think to ask for a superviser or manager?

Sadly it was the duty manager who said id have to pay. My actual concern is because i had bought pork and chicken along with bread which would have soaked any juices up.

marliepanda

d123 wrote: »

The .gov guidelines say:



So you should be able to get a bag of some sort to protect your bag for life/other shopping from any possible contamination.

If a cashier refused to bag meat that you thought might leak, did you think to ask for a superviser or manager?

Not required =/= must not.

The meat wasn't loose. It was packaged.

On the subject of Harrods, their bags are not single use. It's hardly them avoiding the law and not 'daring' to charge their customers, they just have better quality bags. Other stores not charging because they have paper bags include Lush, White Stuff, White Company, HotelChocolat and many more.

suki1964

italiastar wrote: »

Sadly it was the duty manager who said id have to pay. My actual concern is because i had bought pork and chicken along with bread which would have soaked any juices up.

Once again - was your meat LOOSE?

I think not

It was either on a polystyrene or plastic tray, covered in film, or put in a plastic bag, sealed at the top with tape

No way did the shop throw you a chicken or a pound of mince for you to put loose in your bag along with a loaf of bread, a pair of slippers and a fur coat


If you dont like the charges - TAKE MORE BAGS

simples

italiastar

suki1964 wrote: »

Once again - was your meat LOOSE?

I think not

It was either on a polystyrene or plastic tray, covered in film, or put in a plastic bag, sealed at the top with tape

No way did the shop throw you a chicken or a pound of mince for you to put loose in your bag along with a loaf of bread, a pair of slippers and a fur coat


If you dont like the charges - TAKE MORE BAGS

simples

I totally agree, but these were impulse purchases, not planned. As i said, the packaging was wet, leading me to believe it was leaking. My question was about whether the shop could charge, not a question about my own stupidity. Thankfully, some people have provided answers to the question, and even pointed out that a retailer can carge for anything.

suki1964

italiastar wrote: »

I totally agree, but these were impulse purchases, not planned. As i said, the packaging was wet, leading me to believe it was leaking. My question was about whether the shop could charge, not a question about my own stupidity. Thankfully, some people have provided answers to the question, and even pointed out that a retailer can carge for anything.

See post 4