Coles and Woolies Phasing Out Plastic Bags - So Do We Now BUY Rubbish Bags?

oztite on 20/07/2017 - 18:58
Last edited 21/07/2017 - 00:50

I am all for the environment, and I wish science has an answer (e.g. degradable plastic bags). Personally I use ALL my plastic bags from Coles and Woolies as garbage bags at home, and I assume a lot of people do this. Now they are phasing it out, I may have to BUY the bags, so my overall "plastic footprint" is probably unchanged.

So, is this simply a cost cutting stunt? Or a feel good exercise? Can we change the environment? Or, can we start putting rubbish in the bin without a bag? Would city councils accept that? What about apartments?

EDIT: I stuffed up the poll, should be:

I've always used colesworth bags as garbage bags and will start buying commercial garbage bags
I've always used colesworth bags as garbage bags but will NOT buy commercial garbage bags
I don't use colesworth bags as garbage bags and always buy commercial garbage bags anyway
I never use garbage bags
I am garbage

Poll Options

  • 703
    I've always used colesworth bags as garbage bags and will have to start buying commercial garbage ba
  • 11
    plastic footprint unchanged.
  • 41
    I've always used colesworth bags as garbage bags but will NOT buy commercial garbage bags because I
  • 111
    I don't use colesworth bags as garbage bags and always buy commercial garbage bags anyway - plastic
  • 8
    I never use garbage bags.
  • 59
    I am garbage.
Food & Grocery

Comments

        • cameldownunder on 21/07/2017 - 15:19

          When you stop paying for the groceries bags.

      • inherentchoice on 21/07/2017 - 11:18
        +1

        Pretty sure those "green bags" are more like 10 grams each or more. And you need maybe 4 of them at least.

        I would much prefer to keep the current plastic bag system and then do one or more of your offset suggestions, which would be a much more efficient and practical way to reduce our "carbon footprint" than banning plastic bags, transporting heavier ones, transporting extra bin liners, and then offseting the increased emissions anyway.

        Anyway I guess it's not about logic and doing good, it's more about feeling good.

        • abb on 21/07/2017 - 12:28

          I guess it's not about logic and doing good, it's more about feeling good.

          Isn't everything?

          Maybe supermarkets could just charge 1c per disposable plastic bag. All of OzBargain would cease using them overnight!

          I don't really buy the "I use them all as bin liners" argument for most people though - for me, that would mean I'm generating about 8x as much rubbish…
          (I re-use / recycle the rest)

        • bobbified on 21/07/2017 - 14:37
          +3

          @abb:

          I don't really buy the "I use them all as bin liners" argument for most people though

          I'm not trying to be a smart-arse or anything, but what's so unbelievable about it?
          As a kid, I watched my parents do it and now I do it too because it saves me from buying purpose-made garbage bags.

        • abb on 21/07/2017 - 15:46

          @bobbified: As I said, I get many more bags than I need for bins. I reckon most people would also have a surplus.

          Some people will be diligent, take their re-usable shopping bags and only get a couple of disposable bags for later bin use, absolutely, and that's excellent.

          But the average person doesn't use reusable bags, is getting more than they need as bin liners, and probably binning them when their "bag bag" overflows.

          Or, if you're like my neighbours, you're bagging up your recyclables and rubbish together and throwing it all in my recycle bin ;)

        • bobbified on 21/07/2017 - 16:02
          +1

          @abb:

          aah - I see what you mean.

          As I said, I get many more bags than I need for bins. I reckon most people would also have a surplus.

          The only time I get surplus is if I go through a checkout with an assistant. The assistant will bag certain items separately. Say, dishwashing liquid in one bag and fruit in another bag and ice-cream in another bag. That's three items in three bags.

          If I go through the self-service, the above would all be in a single bag.

          But the average person doesn't use reusable bags

          What do you do with meat? Do you have to wash your reuseable bags after carrying meat? Chicken juices wouldn't be fun. The ex-meat bags are the ones I use first for my bins.

        • abb on 21/07/2017 - 16:16

          @bobbified: I think you've quoted the wrong bit there, but yeah a lot of people will bag meat separately for that reason. I can't remember the last time I actually had a meat package leak though.

        • heidisapirate on 22/07/2017 - 22:15
          +1

          @abb:
          You need to tell me where you get your meat! At my local safeway the outsides of 90% of the meat products are already wet with the blood/other leakage of the meats.

          As a person who gets squeamish even carrying a properly packaged thing of meat, feeling the juices of it when I pick it up just squicks me even more.

      • nobarginsarehere on 21/07/2017 - 21:18
        • turning your radio volume down 1 notch (thus reducing the alternator load by 0.5W)

        You have NO idea how an alternator works hahaha

        Your alternator is always (mechanically) engaged, decreasing electrical load does nothing to improve fuel economy

        • D C on 23/07/2017 - 10:26
          -1

          You have NO idea how an alternator works hahaha

          He might not know, but you don't know either. The laugh is on you dude, turning the radio down saves fuel.

          Your alternator is always (mechanically) engaged, decreasing electrical load does nothing to improve fuel economy

          Ain't no free lunch, laddie.

          If you turn up your radio, the increased electrical load leads to more drag between the alternator rotor & stator (magnetism - it's magic!) slowing the alternator, so the engine RPMs increase to compensate thus using more fuel.

          And vice versa, of course.

          Now given that unless your radio has a dozen subwoofers attached, it's power requirements are a bit more than 2 parts of f'all, and knowing that petrol is a rather dense energy source, turning it down a notch will save some fuel but it's a bit hard to measure.

          You could calculate a theoretical value by determining the energy needed to transport a plastic bag, and then calculating how long that energy would run your radio for, but no-one has time for that. (Oh wait it's the internet, sure they do!)

        • nobarginsarehere on 23/07/2017 - 20:35

          @D C: No

        • D C on 23/07/2017 - 20:49
          -1

          @nobarginsarehere:

          No

          Yes.

          You are wrong.

          The fuel savings will be so close to zero that it might as well be zero, but it's not.

          You can't beat physics.

          Learn the difference between load and no-load conditions. Alternators are not immune from that.

        • abb on 24/07/2017 - 08:59

          @nobarginsarehere - I'm an electrical engineer, I work for a respected organization you've probably heard of, and my team does electro-magnetics.

          Of all the people in the world to call out on not knowing something, you have chosen poorly.

          @D C is 100% correct.

        • nobarginsarehere on 24/07/2017 - 23:02

          @D C: Negative

          As I said, decreasing electrical load does nothing to improve fuel economy

          If it's within a margin of error, it does nothing

        • D C on 24/07/2017 - 23:10
          -1

          @nobarginsarehere: Really.

          you cannot prove it

          Well, that's easy.

          So you claim decreasing the load does nothing, therefore increasing the load also does nothing.

          So I can bolt 5000 watts worth of 'fog' lights to my ute with no effect on the alternator at all?

          Awesome!

          Free energy for the win!

          margin of error

          Lol, look at you with your fancy words. Do you even know what they mean?

        • nobarginsarehere on 25/07/2017 - 19:57

          @D C: "nothing to improve fuel economy"

  • Peck on 21/07/2017 - 08:35
    +10

    Are they going to stop plastic bags in the fruit and veg. aisle?
    Are they going to stop selling freezer bags, and dog poo bags?
    Are they going to stop selling goods pre-packed in plastic?
    Sadly stopping checkout bags 'only' will make very little difference to the environment.

    • MrTweek on 21/07/2017 - 15:07
      +1

      Yeah, all that would be great, I agree.

      Yet, banning plastic bags has made a huge difference in states (SA, NT, ACT) and also countries that have banned plastic bags long time ago.

      It's a start

      • inherentchoice on 21/07/2017 - 15:26

        Can you measure this huge difference?

      • RonaldR on 21/07/2017 - 19:39
        -2

        but other countries they are a Recourse and people have been educated that they are valuable so they go into the bin for plastics. Here the Sheeple just follow Green Bullshit and banning this and banning that and the heads of the Green movement want to get rid of us as we are using up their resources to fix a lot of our problems and reduce the cost of Electricity lets Ban The Greens. they are a boil on Australia's arse.

        • MrTweek on 22/07/2017 - 13:11

          What? The European Union has banned plastic bags, light bulbs, single glazed windows and non-standard mobile phone chargers.
          Not sure how you can say Australia is just banning everything. They really don't.

        • D C on 24/07/2017 - 17:57
          +1

          @MrTweek:

          and non-standard mobile phone chargers

          Best thing ever. Nokia and Samsung can jam their proprietary crap right up where the sun doesn't shine.

          Guvmits are useful occasionally.

    • Dalton on 21/07/2017 - 16:02
      +4

      I think the decision to get rid of checkout bags has to be at least partial financially motivated. They sell us the bags you mention (they sell fruit and veg bags as part of the weight of the produce), and, as an added bonus, they will sell us more garbage bags once checkout bags are gone.

  • Ozpit on 21/07/2017 - 09:16
    +5

    Supermarket plastic bags aren't the problem, it's what people do with them when they get home. I collect all my bags and every month or so take them back to the supermarket and stick them in the plastic bag recycling bin. What's so hard about that? If you really care about their effect on the environment, RECYCLE the f****ers. As with many things in life, people say all the right things, but when effort is included in the equation, they go and hide, hoping someone else will solve the problem.

    • abb on 21/07/2017 - 15:51

      You've answered your own question. Doing the right thing requires effort. It's much easier to enact a blanket ban than to modify the behaviour of Average Joe (remember that a sizable portion of the population doesn't give a shit about the environment).

  • casho on 21/07/2017 - 09:37
    +4

    I've kept enough shopping bags to last me for the next 40 years!

    • idonotknowwhy on 21/07/2017 - 10:01

      I hope they're not bio degradable then…

      • casho on 21/07/2017 - 10:33
        +2

        No definitely kill the planet quality

    • PJC on 21/07/2017 - 10:01

      Good. I may have enough for 2 years.

      • Kamsi on 21/07/2017 - 10:26
        +3

        I'm start collecting now!

  • furys12 on 21/07/2017 - 09:44
    +3

    its been like 5 years since Tasmania has been living in this future you're so worried about and i'm still using the collection of supermarket "rubbish" bags that i built up over the dolphin killing years those bags reigned

    also if you want some hot proof they aren't doing it for environment just look at tassie, the ban is at a government level (who did it for the votes not the trees) and colesworth made a big deal about it when it rolled out and made sure that everyone knew they were suddenly paying 15c a bag because of the pollies, and despite most retailers, the biggest example being target, getting over it and eating the cost of bags again colesworth have taken great pride in their new income stream, if they gave a shit about the trees they'd have rolled out the change country wide when they were forced to here

  • Peck on 21/07/2017 - 09:56
    +5

    Any guesses at what they will do for On-line orders? Pack in boxes maybe?

    • D C on 21/07/2017 - 15:08
      +3

      Still bag them: https://shop.coles.com.au/online/mobile/national/info/home-d…

      Lol at the 'We use bio degradable bags in ACT, SA and NT' bit.

    • decr on 22/07/2017 - 05:29

      I was surprised that they bag it in Tassie. No shortage on bin liners for me for the foreseeable future. A weekly online shop (with free delivery of course) from Coles gets me 4-6 bags. I have a heap of them in the corner of my pantry that's starting to take up a considerable amount of room.

      The material is different though compared to coles/woollies in QLD though so maybe there is a way they get away with it.

      • D C on 22/07/2017 - 11:00

        I noticed Tasmania didn't get a mention, but probably using biodegradable bags there as well.

        Fire is a good test - HDPE bags burn really well, biodegradable not so much. Hard to get started and they go out after a little while. The fumes won't do you as much harm either as there's no chlorine in biodegradable plastic.

        • decr on 22/07/2017 - 17:53

          Hmm interesting. It's hard to describe but the bags are white and more rigid, not see through and leave that slightly floury feel on your hands after handling them.

  • jacross on 21/07/2017 - 10:46

    We've had a plastic bag ban in the ACT for quite a few years now. You adapt. I still collect plastic bags surplus to my needs from various stores. I buy garbage bags that fit my bin though.

    I'd be very interested in some rigorous analysis of the net environmental impact of these policy changes.

    • heidisapirate on 22/07/2017 - 22:08
      +1

      My ex lives in the ACT. Whenever I used to visit him I was so used to having the bags, that I'd forget to pay for them and ended up stealing quite a few due to my forgetfulness.

      On the flip side, whenever I travelled up, I used to bring up quite a lot of my family's unused bags. His family and grandma were super thankful, as they all still found having to buy bags for bins inconvenient and too expensive. (they weren't big penny pinchers - they just were quite poor and having the free bags helped them out)

  • taylorb100 on 21/07/2017 - 11:02
    +1

    How about all the retailers being forced to buy back their plastic bags and packaging, like some States do with drink containers?

  • snajper on 21/07/2017 - 11:20

    About time…. Plastic bags are horrible things and most 3rd world countries have phased them out long time ago….

  • donkeydoc on 21/07/2017 - 12:23
    +1

    Should work towards removing rubbish bins and offering more recycling options.

  • ednamekin on 21/07/2017 - 12:46
    +2

    Cost cutting not much more; if they really wanted to be all environmentally friendly then they can try reducing the packaging that comes with various Colesworth brand products.

    Now for the person who's losing out with this phase-out, a way out is to buy vegies, put em in 2 layers of those thin bags, and use those for bins.

    • Deridas on 21/07/2017 - 18:06
      +3

      The true Ozbargainer won't do that, that means you end up paying for the second thin bag at whatever $ per kg your veggies is at.

  • lollyball on 21/07/2017 - 12:59

    thats fine on grocery stores doing that but they should have a solution for us consumers, that is, for us avoiding buying commercial plastic bags. for plastic bags is the problem for use of garbage lining ie. what happened to these biodegradable plastic bags i thought i read some time ago?!?!?!

  • D6C1 on 21/07/2017 - 13:55

    Anyone know how much those bags cost Coles or Woolies??

    • D C on 21/07/2017 - 15:22
      +2

      A fraction of a cent.

      Small quantities are more expensive as usual, eg from here: https://www.qispackaging.com.au/Product/plastic-singlet-chec… you'd pay a bit over a cent each.

      Maybe we can have an OzBargain group buy.

      Something people don't realise is packaging is rather expensive, often the most expensive part of a product to the annoyance of manufacturers, but unless you have nice packaging your product doesn't sell. And then we immediately bin it. Weird, huh?

  • khell on 21/07/2017 - 14:15
    +2

    I've been using 50L compostable bags for $0.30 each for ages. It's really not that much to ensure we aren't all consuming microplastics in the next 100 years.

  • lainey13 on 21/07/2017 - 15:03

    Happy to finally run down our supply of grey bags and buy compostible/biodegradable bags. My partner is very careless with plastic and always gets more despite us drowning in reusable shopping bags.

  • yoquierotaco on 21/07/2017 - 15:23
    +3

    We shouldn't expect things to change overnight, but this small step is going in the right direction. At least we are talking about the issue of plastic and how we use way too much of it.

    If you haven't, you should watch "War on Waste" that is freely available on ABC iView to see how careless Australia has become not only in terms of plastic but overall waste (we are the 2nd highest producers of waste per person in the world, second to only the US).

  • Dalton on 21/07/2017 - 16:05
    +1

    One day bacteria will evolve to eat plastic and this problem will go away (along with 90% of my car!)

  • Antikythera on 21/07/2017 - 16:27
    +2

    I just did a quick search and you can buy 10,000 HTPE bags for $106.59
    Seems like a cheaper option than gladbags.

    • noshopping on 22/07/2017 - 20:49

      mind sharing link for a fellow ozbargainer? wouldn't mind topping up b4 the ban ;)

      • GregMonarch on 24/07/2017 - 18:12

        Just look on aliexpress.

  • RonaldR on 21/07/2017 - 19:30

    They are just going to use Green Bullshit to make more money . Problem is in Australia recycling of plastic bottles and bags are not classed as a recourse and given value , they are classed as an environmental disaster that is what the Greens are. They now make plastic modular Roads out of recycled plastic. The best roof tiles are made from Recycled Plastic bottles and bags.I will just take their plastic baskets

    • NickosFoivos on 22/07/2017 - 10:30
      -1

      100% right but you get down voted… it's ozbargain…

  • UNO on 21/07/2017 - 19:55
    +2

    Just buy bin liners at the super market to put your shopping in. Less than 15c each, then when you get home use it as a bin bag.

    • Providence on 23/07/2017 - 22:43

      Less than 15c each

      Very un-ozbargain. UNO a pack of actual bin liners works out about 5c each.

  • gimli on 21/07/2017 - 21:08
    +2

    just use bags they give for fresh fruit/veges

  • dbun1 on 21/07/2017 - 22:24
    +3

    I stopped using supermarket plastic bags for rubbish a while ago.
    The quality has definitely gone down and nearly all the bags have small holes in the bottom which meant they always leaked.

    I got fed up with it and started buying proper bags. They actually fit the bin better too.

  • lookatthesizeofthat on 22/07/2017 - 03:45
    -5

    I'm all for helping the environment and think this is a step in the right direction. Having said that it wont change man made global warming because it simply doesn't exist.

    • gimli on 22/07/2017 - 06:58

      Nice try at trolling mate but perhaps read posts by JV or even myself to see how it's done.

      • lookatthesizeofthat on 22/07/2017 - 11:35
        -3

        Next time I'm trolling I'll finish the sentence off with a capital T;)

    • NickosFoivos on 23/07/2017 - 16:25
      -1

      GLobal Warming does not exist and it is quite ridiculous to see that all the ''people'' fighting it, are the ones who are responsible for the bad which is happening on the Earth.

      The majority of people are sheep and totally convinced by what the media promotes! Hey, people here voted for Turnbull and look at him now… Keep your expectation low.

  • Shame on 22/07/2017 - 04:41
    +1

    I try to use green bags but when I accumulate too many I just throw them in the creek.

  • callum9999 on 22/07/2017 - 06:06

    You wish science has an answer!? It does, you just don't like it…

    The answer to this specific point is to recycle properly (no-one who produces large amounts of household rubbish recycles properly) and then you won't have to worry about buying many bags. Preferably you'd also stop buying the presumably large amounts of packaging but that's more inconvenient.

  • Fever4shakin on 22/07/2017 - 07:10
    +2

    Coming from the ACT where we've had the bag ban for years it's surprisingly easy to adjust. Just because the supermarket bans bags doesn't mean other retailers do, so I just use whatever bags I accumulate from shopping elsewhere. Places like Priceline and chemist warehouse both do the same style plastic bag as the one they're banning. I always ask for a bag from them even if I don't necessarily need it.

    • Steve K on 22/07/2017 - 13:45

      Yep, it just becomes a habit when going shopping, wallet? check, keys? check? shopping bags? check. it only feels like a PITA during the short adjustment period.

  • NickosFoivos on 22/07/2017 - 10:27

    It's quite disgusting to see these big corporations coming up with more shit just to earn more. If they stop providing plastic bags as they do now, I will stop going there. I'm going local already for some of my shopping and I prefer it. Aldi is good as well.

    • Steve K on 22/07/2017 - 13:43
      +2

      As far a I'm aware Aldi doesn't use plastic either? i always used a backpack when walking or kept stuff loose in the trolley to my car then bagged into the reusable bags i keep in the boot.

  • DarwinBoy on 22/07/2017 - 10:39

    All the concerns mentioned are the same i recall coming from people up here when the NT changed years ago. Rest assured you will all survive.
    Unfortunately it isnt working as planned. The required reuse of the 15c bags isnt happeneding so we are a little worse off. On the flip side i see less plastic bags in the harbour and roadsides.
    Next will be nationwide deposit container scheme. Another good idea but PITA to deal with.

  • Sage on 22/07/2017 - 11:12
    -1

    Makes a larger carbon footprint to product the reusable bags anyway.
    The only difference they're making here is adding a 15 cent charge per bag, it's driven by greed.

    • Steve K on 22/07/2017 - 13:30

      either way, you get to vote with your wallet

      • greatlamp on 22/07/2017 - 20:20
        +3

        Lidl will open up in Australia, and offer free bags. Then we will see the tears from colesworth

  • awelch on 22/07/2017 - 13:00

    I live in Tasmania where Woolies stopped providing plastic bags years ago. I bought garbage bags a couple of times until I found that the Woolworths home deliveries still provide plastic to carry the groceries in. Not sure if they will do the same thing in the rest of Australia though

  • Steve K on 22/07/2017 - 13:29
    +4

    It's hard to see this as a cost cutting measure, because of the extra time it now takes to bag or box your groceries, when you have to faff about unbundling the reusable bags that the customer brings, or fetching boxes to put stuff into. this takes longer than slipping stuff into pre racked and ready to go plastic bags that conveniently open the next bag when you pull away the full one (usually works for me, anyway. other ppl seem to struggle) this essentially leads to less turnover per hour per checkout, resulting in either less sales and/or more staff hours paid or self checkouts installed to meet the same amount of sales.
    with regard to environmental stuff, plastic pollution in the oceans is a real thing, and trying to prevent them getting into the water is never going to be anywhere near as possible or effective (both costwise and results wise) as simply reducing plastic output.

    Also, for people who click and collect, woolies are happy to use your cloth bags for your order (we just put our name on them, and give them a set of empties for the next order when we collect the current one).

  • [Deactivated] on 22/07/2017 - 14:45
    +2

    Lets call it what it is … Bullsh*t!

    To all those environmentalists cutting plastic bag use is going to achieve little considering how many grocery items are over packaged (including fruit & vegetables) and how the major supermarkets love printing a directory of their weekly specials.

    So unless the major supermarkets are going to phase out all decorative lighting from their health, meat and freezer cabinets, switch off all cash registers they never use and restrict themselves to a single A4 flyer it is another way to screw shoppers so some CEO w*nker can take credit and give shareholders a dividend.

    Now I have even more reason to grab a sh*tload of plastic bags and put fresh produce incorrectly when all Woolworths and Coles are interested in is their shareholders and not passing the savings back to the rightful recipients their customers.

    • Hardlyworkin on 23/07/2017 - 12:14
      +1

      Neverhappy? First world problems getting you down? How about I send you a free plastic bag and a hug?

  • FW190 on 22/07/2017 - 14:48

    So, is this simply a cost cutting stunt? Or a feel good exercise?

    probably these two

    anyway, let the market decide, if they go ahead with I guess I will just buy whatever that could fit into the two green bags I have, no more 7/8/9 bags shopping sprees, if enough people do the same then they might reconsider.

  • [Deactivated] on 22/07/2017 - 14:54

    www.ozgarbage.com.au coming soon.

  • Windows7forever on 22/07/2017 - 16:46

    Corporate cost cutting under the guise of being 'eco friendly'. It's a load of crap. I mostly shop at Aldi so it won't affect me too much.

    • SirCH on 24/07/2017 - 13:07

      Isn't the whole point of Aldi that's they've reduced their corporate costs as much as possible?

  • Payne on 22/07/2017 - 18:19
    +4

    Doing Plastic Free July at the moment. It's an educational process. Definitely worth giving it a go, just to explore alternatives to even shopping at Coles and Woolies.

    Almost down to zero single-use plastic now.

  • BargainKen on 22/07/2017 - 18:38
    -1

    Someone should phase out Coles and Woolworths :D

  • akl977ad on 22/07/2017 - 18:57
    -3

    Well easy solution, just use the 15c reusable bags as bin liners.
    When NSW start charging for 10c the can cashback scheme, just throw your cans/bottles in the rubbish bin.
    You're paying for the privilege of throwing away your reusable bag / recyclable item.

    One reusable bag can last a week. So 15c/week.

    Who brings a plastic bag everywhere they go anyway.

  • geoffellis on 22/07/2017 - 19:29
    +2

    I just threw away an innumerable number of plastic bags the other day. still have dozens? in a drawer. sure I reuse them. but i don't reuse nearly as many as i come home with. all the people that say they reused them all any ways and will just be buying garbage bags, are ignoring the impact of all the people that either dont use all they take home, or dont reuse any at all.

    So unchanged for you, but potentially massive savings elsewhere.

  • imcold on 22/07/2017 - 20:36

    Its pretty simple just boycott buying raw meat products from WW and Coles. Buy meat products from your local butcher who can provide you with plastic bags for bin liners.

    Probably stop buying fruit from them as well.

    Even with an outside bag, its pretty easy to cross contaminate the inner contents of the bag with super-bugs. Seriously there are so many bugs now that nearly 100% antibiotics resistant.

  • melbstheburn on 22/07/2017 - 21:17
    +1

    Bring back tuckerbag!

  • Lysander on 22/07/2017 - 21:41

    I am pretty sure biodegradable bags exist. The ones I know and use are great - sturdy and durable.
    But of course, they cost more and the supermarkets would be unwilling to absorb the extra costs.

  • FatBlanket on 22/07/2017 - 21:52
    -5

    It's a good thing. Stop complaining. I couldn't give a toss why they're doing it. It should be done.

  • heidisapirate on 22/07/2017 - 21:54
    +3

    Either way it just seems inconvenient for everyone.

    1. Annoying to carry around reusable bags if you're like me and go to other shops in the shopping centre before buying food
    2. Easy to forget bags (I do it all the time at Aldi), meaning you'll have to spend more on bags, or less on food so you can carry it
    3. Makes it harder to carry to car/from car
    4. If you're poorer, and don't drive to the shops you'll be unable to carry much home/forced to pay extra for bags.
    5. Let's be real, if you do a weekly/fourtnightly/monthly shop, then there is NO WAY you're able to continue doing this. You'd have to bring about 10+ reusable bags with you, and even then, they're bulkier and don't have as much give, so you won't be able to fit as much.
    6. No more bin bags. Another expense to pay.

    I know that some of these are just a little whingey and that I'll be told to get over it (namely 1, 2), but for people who have disabilities or are living paycheck to paycheck, then these added costs or difficulties could be quite a struggle.
    I get that they're trying to go green, but there are other ways they could do it. Giving you incentives to use a reusable bag, or to return plastic bags, having a bin for plastic bags so that they can be broken down and recycled. Plenty other things that smarter people than me can think of.

    • AlienC on 23/07/2017 - 01:08

      If you are buying that much why not just online order? Seriously delivery is like $10 bucks max and if it is affecting your health both physically and mentally well then. Unless you like the in store shopping like me and other most people do I don't see why this would be a problem.

      • heidisapirate on 23/07/2017 - 06:29

        Yeah I prefer to shop in person. It's a sort of mindless time wasting activity but I enjoy it. Must admit, I forgot that most people who have trouble with it may order online.

        Still, I can imagine there are some people who shop at actual stores who have trouble with physical things (older people especially).

      • citygal on 23/07/2017 - 07:48
        +1

        You need to know that many underclass, older people and/or people with disabilities don't know how to use internet or can't be bothered buying things online. Delivery can take days and sometimes you just need the groceries quicker. And for those who have a full-time job or shift job may find it hard to find time available just to collect groceries.

        • AlienC on 23/07/2017 - 08:37

          True that I wasn't thinking straight.

  • Spazzwan on 23/07/2017 - 01:28

    How does this affect self-serve checkout?

    • silverrat23 on 23/07/2017 - 15:07
      +1

      I imagine it'll be the same with SA (and other states without plastic bags already) - remove the grey plastic bags from the rack and replace them with $0.15 bags with verbal/printed reminders that they're paid.

  • FatBlanket on 23/07/2017 - 07:58
    +3

    When you read comment after comment saying "why bother banning plastic bags when there's still plastic packaging on other products" etc you know were truly doomed as a species. If they were banning plastic packaging you'd all be saying if they don't ban plastic bags then what's the point? And if they banned everything at once, well shit you'd all whinge so much you'd have a heart attack.

    Also as someone who's invested in both woolies and Coles , this doesn't get me excited from a financial point of view. I've been using my own bags for a while and I tend to limit my shopping to the bags I bring. And as someone else mentioned reusable bags are slower to deal with than plastic. Plastic allow shoppers to impulse buy and buy as much as they want, and is more convenient for the consumer. I doubt this will be a huge bread winner for the companies.

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