Marks and Spencer - selling plastic bags or not?

[kinell]

this lot need to decide on their sales policy....

i was at the till the other day and was asked if i needed a bag, of course i did i had many items and was told that it would cost 5p,

that sounds remarkably good value i thought , so said so and asked for a pounds worth (20),

the woman on the till refused to do the deal, i cant see the problem....

[NazNomad]

This is the sort of question that can only be answered with music ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZC6Ot1MLP0

[NazNomad]

You should have split your shopping into 20 items and asked the conveyor-belt-clown for a separate bag for each transaction.

[B00]

The idea of paying for bags is to make you, the customer, reluctant to part with cash, then hopefully you'd re-use carrier bags again and again.

This concept, is obviously wasted on you though isn't it?

And why should it have been obvious to the girl on the till that you needed a bag?

[bednobs]

the whole point is that they want you to have as less plastic bags as possible. thats why they charge, so most reasonable people will think "ha" i'll bring it back with me next time and save myself 5p" Therefore it's not their policy to sell people 20 when they don't need them

[NazNomad]

''Don't supply them ... AT ALL''

Surely that's the definitive answer? If people know they won't be getting a bag in-store, they'll shop accordingly, or take a bag with them?

My answers above do not condone the use of plastic bags ... just making the store aware that their policy of supplying bags is flawed.

[jackthehat]

I usually take carrier bags with me and like to ensure that in supermarkets where they charge for the bags, I use their nearest competitors; Lidl bags in Aldi, etc.

I went into a Chinese Supermarket the other day where a helpful young girl busily packed my shopping into bags for me..........it wasn't until I lifted the bags up that I saw the sign sellotaped to the end of the unit telling me that I had been charged 5p per bag. *That* won't be happening again !!! :o)

[NazNomad]

"... in supermarkets where they charge for the bags, I use their nearest competitors; Lidl bags in Aldi, etc. "

Lidl charge for their bags here.

[jackthehat]

They do here, too, naz........and I'd use my paid-for Aldi's bags when shopping in Lidls.

[NazNomad]

So you use paid-for Lidl bags in Aldi ... and paid-for Aldi bags in Lidl?

[Old_Geezer]

The concept is surely, charge for bags, watch your potential customers shop elsewhere.
Works for me.

[whiskeryron]

Naz, great beat in the Prince Buster clip nice one man.

[jackthehat]

Yes.............I appreciate how that statement looks..........:o/

Although, in my defence, the bags will have been bought, under sufferance, some while ago......and I'm not well-known for letting things lie..........:o)

[NazNomad]

"Yes.............I appreciate how that statement looks..........:o/ "

lol, I wasn't sure if I was understanding it right.

[B00]

"The concept is surely, charge for bags, watch your potential customers shop elsewhere.
Works for me. "

The concept of you even needing fresh carrier bags in each shop you go in is out-dated now. Why can't you re-use your carrier bags?

I'm a shop worker, and even though us the stores have started this free carrer bag crap in the first place, i deeply resent handing out carrier bags when more often than not they are unnecessary in the first place.

[woofgang]

given that the profit on those bags goes to a good cause, I can't see the problem either.

[Old_Geezer]

They do get used, lining bins.
IMO this is just a money making scheme dressed up as environmental friendly behaviour.

[woofgang]

well not by marks, the profit goes to a charity...

[LoftyLottie]

Off the point a bit.

But still on the question of carrier bags.

I ask for them and get them without any questionning. I use them for bin liners.

The shops that are so 'green' have no problem in selling you rolls of plastic binliners.

Do the people who use reuseable bags feel any pangs of conscience when putting their rubbish in these plastic bin liners.

[LoftyLottie]

Sorry, just seen Old Geezer's post!!!

[pastafreak]

I always have a 'bag for life' with me...and if I don't,I've no problem in paying a few pence for bags.
The supermarkets still have to may some manufacturer for them-so why should I expect them to be free?