How
many of you have stockpiled plastic bags from grocery stores and retail
outlets?
I
know it seems like a rather bizarre question to ask, but it does have something
to do with this post.
I
have to admit that I do have quite a few plastic bags at my disposal. And, why wouldn't I? Plastic grocery bags are the perfect size
for my trash can upstairs, and I use them when I am packing my lunch for work
(usually when I bring along a salad or something like that).
And
at most stores that I shop at, the bags are absolutely free of charge. It's because of that fact alone that I
haven't bought any kitchen catcher garbage bags since 2003!
Well...at
least that WAS the case.
The
recent announcement that Walmart Canada was going to begin charging five cents
per plastic bag in February 2016 certainly had everybody talking - and not
necessarily in a good way either.
I
don't know what the situation is like in the United States, but here in Canada,
plastic bags have had a cost at several other chain stores for years. Many grocery stores started charging a
nickel a bag because of environmental concerns. I can see where they're coming from too. Plastic bags don't degrade naturally the way
that paper bags can, and they can end up sitting in landfills for years. That, plus plastic bags can choke certain
animals who might mistake them for food.
And
from a business standpoint, let's face it.
Plastic bags in bulk are very expensive to buy, and the charging of bags
may help cut costs down for the operating businesses.
But
you wouldn't believe the number of people who are up in arms over the company's
decision to charge for plastic bags.
Some are upset and feel that it's another way for a business to nickel
and dime all of us to the poor house (their words, not mine). Some feel that it's going to be the first
step in declining customer service. And
some have even stated that as long as we will be charging for bags, they will
no longer be shopping at the store.
So,
being born with a gift of gab and being argumentative to a fault, I will
attempt to rip these arguments apart.
First
of all, I want to state that the charging of plastic bags is not a new
thing. At least, not in Canada,
anyway. I seem to remember some
businesses charging for bags as early as 2010, if not earlier. That was six years ago! And honestly, if people are complaining
about the fact that they have to pay a whopping five cents more...big deal. I suppose you might have an argument if this
were, oh, 1916. But five cents doesn't
really seem to buy anything at all these days.
You can't even buy penny candy for five cents! But, I suppose the same people who are complaining about paying
for bags are also the ones who complained about the penny rounding that was
implemented in 2013 following the Canadian government's decision to eliminate
the penny.
In
short, don't try to reason with them.
You can't.
Oh,
and about the threat to not shop in a store because of the nickel a bag
rule? 95% of the time, those people
usually return to the store in a week's time.
Trust me. I've worked retail for
eleven years. I know by now who is
serious and who is just blowing off smoke.
And let's just say that in those eleven years, I've inhaled a lot
of..."smoke".
Fortunately,
there are a couple of solutions to make the transition smooth. For one, you can purchase the reusable
canvas bags that a lot of stores have for sale. These bags can last for years, and can hold quite a number of
objects. And at least in the case of
Walmart Canada, the price of some of these bags will be dropping to twenty-five
cents a piece. This might seem
redundant, given how people are upset over five cents, but keep in mind that
the 25 cent canvas bags can be used over and over and over again.
(Though,
I will ask all of you to please WASH and CLEAN your bags after you're done with
them. There's nothing more annoying and
inconsiderate than having a cashier open up a bag that reeks of cigarette
smoke, alcohol, and cat urine. And yes,
I've heard things.)
You
can also bring along a laundry basket or a plastic tote, and use those to place
your newly bought groceries in. Most
stores won't mind, believe me.
Other
than that, customers will simply just accept the five cent fee or take their
groceries without bags.
But
can I just ask one thing? Can you
please stop harassing cashiers, staff members, and managers about the bag
charges. None of us have anything to do
with the change, and therefore it is not our fault. We're just doing our jobs, and I don't think it's fair that we
should have to take people yelling at us over something we can't change.
