Coles put paper bags for 35 cents, over the plastic ones for 15 cents. I think it's kinda pointless, because they can't hold the weight and cost more for some strange reason. It's very annoying that they can't just provide the essentials for shopping.
I have the trolley bags/box in my boot, I never bag anything at checkout, just dump everything in the trolley, even when I go multiple shops. If they want to sort out my trolley to see if I stole anything, up to them but I'm not paying for bags
Why don't you just take the bags with you?
Thanks for asking. Cheers.
because then I have to carry the bags with me til I get a trolley. I would go to eat/look around the other shops like kmart and stuff and then get groceries last.
@MeesusEff: I do the same & take the bags with me 'cause I'll need them to carry any stuff I buy in the other stores.
Yep, we've been using reuseable for 20 plus years
.
This makes sense, thanks.
Often I go in only aiming to get 2-3 things and all of a sudden I see some good deals and plan a few days ahead and end up with a basket full.
Maybe I should just always take a bag.
They're crap. Saw a lady leave coles with a paper bag hanging from her stroller handle. 10 meters from exiting the whole bottom broke open and stuff everywhere. It didn't even look like that much stuff and the bags show on them that they can hold up to 6kg but can they really? Anyway it's all a moneygrab to fund their security cameras (bodycam, aerial and onscreen) and solid gates at self service checkouts. Next step they'll remove the self service staff member entirely.
I was shocked by the gate in front of me at self service the other day. To make it worse the staff member (who was a bit different) yelled out GREEN as the green light signified I was ok to leave and the gates then opened. Honestly felt disgusted. Funny how they don't have doors like that at the entrance. Rant over.
You have gates at self service to prevent you leaving?
It's a new thing. My local doesn't have it but it's been mentioned in the media
Hopefully, they consider the extra time required for staff to check bags and open the gate.
It sounds like a frustrating experience, especially if waiting is involved in the already small area for self-checkouts.
@ihfree: Frustrating but really it just made me feel watched on another level and dirty, like I'm automatically being accused or presumed to have done something unethical (theft) and then told 'ok we accept you leaving now as we have looked at your bags, face etc etc'.
Do you remember when you were a kid and you'd go to a shop and maybe a worker would follow you for a bit thinking you were stealing? Well I do and I used to walk out because it just made me feel accused and I guess I highly value my integrity.
@cookie2: I feel like you are taking it waaaay too personally. Its fairly frequent that some people just load up their trolleys and walk out the shop without any attempt to pay, I'm all for it if it deters them.
@cookie2: Would agree with the other poster - you're taking it way too personally.
Most of the time, the workers will be just as frustrated as you are. I've been told once or twice that they are not a fan of the system, especially glitches and various false positives.
Bag checks are a reality of shopping in-store. You agree to it by shopping. If you don't like it, there's always online shopping.
Costco checks your groceries
Bunnings also checks purchases, however, they don't have gates and have a person doing it.
You think a person checking your groceries is the same as a gste that restricts your exit? Honestly if that's true you need to do a little more analysis.
Also around my area, i wouldn't want to be in an area with someone who's nqr prevented from leaving and I definitely wouldn't want to be the worker whos not supposed to risk themselves and yet is being asked to risk themselves.
the coles in the rich suburb 2 suburbs over to me has it, but that's considered a top tier coles.
the two coles I usually go to are middle and low tier respectively and yet to have gates.
Should just adopt the wall of shame
The one I went to is def a 'low tier' location, Braybrook vic.
We have them here, but they're normally left open, likely only close when they spot something suss
Whatever policy they are following with their 'testing' should be consistent between all locations. These were shut and it was a pretty quiet time, only 2 or 3 people in the area. It opens to let you pass and a green light on top like 🚨 (but green), it doesn't stay open and then close if it thinks you're dodgy as you're coming up to the exit.
That's even worse if true because it creates additional shame and embarrassment. Like bag checking not being consistently followed.
Yup. I was shocked. Vowed to avoid even more than I already do. Next time i do go there, I'll go to a register instead.
Go to woolies and get the 99c nylon bags. They're durable, roll up small, weigh almost nothing and fit in you bag or pockets easily.
I use them to shop everywhere.
The last two that I bought were crap and barely lasted a couple of months. Both of them had the seams tear out and the fabric fray so they couldn’t be repaired easily.
You can get them replaced for free @ Woolies.
Bag for Good™ Replacement Policy
As part of our commitment to a greener future, we’ll happily replace any damaged Bag for Good™ for free or offer a substitute reusable bag of at least equivalent value. All you have to do is bring your damaged Bag for Good™ to our Customer Service desk next time you're in one of our supermarkets. No receipt or proof of purchase is required. This replacement policy does not include any Bag for Good™ bags which are merely dirty, stained or messy or which are worn or frayed due to normal wear and tear.
This replacement policy does not apply to any shopping bags other than the Bag for Good™ bags sold by Woolworths supermarkets including, without limitation, chiller bags and any other reusable bags.
I thought they cancelled that last year?
I tried to get a new bag to replace a torn green one and they just said we don't have these anymore. No offer of any other replacement. Luckily I was able to mend it.
@Yola: Yep, I witnessed another customer being told that a couple of months ago. They even said "what about the free replacement guarantee when I bought it?". The woolies staff member just shrugged.
@lunchbox99: https://au.news.yahoo.com/woolworths-shopper-blasts-new-reus…
Opps, Bag for Good has lifetime replacement….but they replaced the Bag for Good with some new GREEN plastic bag (current version) and this one has no replacement guaranteed. :(
@Yola: They should for Bag for Good (the cloth looking one)
That's their current return policy:
https://www.woolworths.com.au/shop/discover/about-us/returns…
Bag for Good™ Replacement Policy
As part of our commitment to a greener future, we’ll happily replace any damaged Bag for Good™ for free or offer a substitute reusable bag of at least equivalent value. All you have to do is bring your damaged Bag for Good™ to our Customer Service desk next time you're in one of our supermarkets. No receipt or proof of purchase is required. This replacement policy does not include any Bag for Good™ bags which are merely dirty, stained or messy or which are worn or frayed due to normal wear and tear.
This replacement policy does not apply to any shopping bags other than the Bag for Good™ bags sold by Woolworths supermarkets including, without limitation, chiller bags and any other reusable bags.
This replacement policy does not include … or which are worn or frayed due to normal wear and tear.
Devil is in here.
@tooblue: When I got my green woolies bags they advertised that if you pay for it they will replace it if it breaks at any time in the future. Here were are a couple of years later and they don't honour the promise before I have had a single bag replaced.
it was all lies to convince people that the switch would not make them worse off. I mean this wasn't a simple misunderstanding - they literally printed BAG FOR GOOD on the side of them
https://7news.com.au/lifestyle/controversy-as-woolworths-sup…
@bobokingdom: Yep. According to my service manager at the time, they just stopped allowing stores to order more of the bags for good. Right after they had massive discounts for them. Then they stopped supplying the bags for good without telling customers who bought the discounted bags for good that they would be discontinued shortly.
I make a point to not overload bags. Definitely no issues carrying a couple 2L whatevers and a few kgs of frozen things.
Definitely no issues carrying a couple 2L whatevers and a few kgs of frozen things.
It might be okay to lift the load once or twice - for example, lifting the contents once into the trolley, then lifting it into the boot of the car.
My problems always start when I try to walk with it. A bit of (natural) swinging while walking should see the handles rip off and the contents on the floor.
Those bags are the best. If I’m short of bags I’ll go grab these before I get the disposable ones. The fact that you can roll them small and they fit in the pocket is excellent!
Oh, I have a feeling that anyone who doesn’t just heap praise on you and what you do you would see as a “leftist twat”. Surprised you didn’t slip the old “wokeism” nugget in there.
I dont come here for praise. Its an internet place for bargains and sometimes i get a bargain
Why would i give a shit what praise i do or not get from strangers?
That would be quite pathetic.
Lol don't pretend you're above it all, if you were you wouldn't be commenting here so regularly like the rest of us sickos.
Why would i give a shit what praise i do or not get from strangers?
Yet actively call for "leftist negs".
You're kidding yourself if you think that's not the same equivalence as desiring likes on Instagram posts :)
It's the far right equivalent of begging for attention
Then why do you bother commenting if you don't care what anyone else thinks? You are looking for a reaction, therefore you care what others think.
PS: I voted for the right at the last federal election, but I still have the smarts to look after the environment, it's not just the left voters that have this sentiment, so get off that bandwagon.
It's greenwashing. Convenient that the environmental concerns also coincide with a shift to payment. They could provide free paper bags if they want to - like they did 50 years ago.
What I find funny is people drive their SUV that emits 100kg of pollution per week to the shops, but kid themselves that those bags are the problem. It would take their entire lifetime to generate 100kg of shopping bag waste.
My neighbours were going on about shopping bags, but recently renovated their house. The plastic used to wrap their insulation would be 20 years of shopping bags, probably more.
Coles is greenwashing, banning single use plastics isn't.
The plastic used to wrap their insulation would be 20 years of shopping bags, probably more.
Cool, so go complain about that.
Look I get the argument that every little bit helps, but the cynic in me says the changes are mostly about turning a cost into a profit.
And the environmental benefits are minor compared to so many much larger, easily addressable problems. Like for example, people being smug about not using a plastic bag but buy one of those massive new yank tank vehicles, run their aircon 300 days a year, take a cruise and international holiday twice a year.
You are being conned into feel good measures that do little to fix the most serious problems. All while allowing Colesworth to increase their profit.
cynic in me says the changes are mostly about turning a cost into a profit.
you are being conned into feel good measures
Did you miss the part I said "Coles is greenwashing"
@deme: I didn't mean you personally, I meant "you" as in all of us. I could change it to "we" but the comment is locked.
It's called a nudge.
Lots of small nudges change consumer behaviour
I just buy plastic bags in bulk online.
Rather than saving money reusing bags, you are fighting those "leftist twat[s]" by bringing your own single use plastic bag?
Sorry bit the useless reusable bags are a lot more expensive than buying a bulk load of cheap plastics.
The paper ones are unusable..and the others are $1 each or more so i doubt it costs more and
aside from that i do not care if it costs a bit more…at least i wont have my food fall out of shite expensive duopoly ones
The nylon ones last years for me, they go in the washing machine easily if you get spills or whatever.
But whatever narrative suits your 'I'm not doing it if they don't' agenda.
Sorry bit the useless reusable bags are a lot more expensive than buying a bulk load of cheap plastics.
How much do you pay and where from?
After watching my oranges/mandarins take a roll down the escalators a couple of times because the handles have just ripped off the paper bags, I've learnt to buy less each time.
yeah and this is the result of charging for baggage. ….buy less.
coles used to sell bigger stronger bags but now has changed to smaller ones of the same quality, I saw something similar at ikea but that was a limited edition thing and the bags they sell are too big to carry groceries from the shops when walking home so I just use the one I bought a few years ago that I bought for a spare since the one I used till now looks overworn, even though I could still use it
Our paper bags have undergone vigorous independent testing and have been found to safely hold up six kilos of groceries, including chilled and frozen items, and can be reused multiple times
Doubt
I know bags are more convenient but can't you just grab an empty box from the shelf and pack all your stuff into it?
I use a box from the shelves if I forget or don't have a bag.
I personally haven't had an issue with the paper bags - I pack them so the weight is evenly distributed and so far haven't had one break.
Wish Colesworth copied Bunnings or Dan Murphys with a bin of recycled cardboard boxes for customers to use. Years back my local BiLo supermarket provided boxes for use. It's a win/win. Customers get a strong container to take their shopping, store doesn't have to pay so much for the cardboard to be recycled.
Exactly, this would be the ideal solution. We don't want to pay extra for the essential bags to carry our purchases in, it's a joke.
Franklins had these back in the 1990s, a huge bin of boxes out the front
nothing is pointless to business it's all about PROFITABILITY
My observations show that most people take their own bags shopping these days.
You are just paying the lazy man / forgetful man tax if you need to buy bags while shopping.