Supermarkets cop spray from customers furious at plastic bag ban, while others say ‘suck it up’
WHILE some shoppers are furious Woolies jumped early on the plastic bag ban, others are now coming to its defence telling whingers to “bring your bloody bags and stop whining”.
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THE backlash against the bag ban has begun. Customers who have remembered to bring their own alternatives are lashing out at fellow shoppers who have spent the last two days whining about the lack of plastic bags.
The green bag brigade is demanding plastic bag fans “suck it up”.
Social media has been full of fury as supermarket shoppers on the east coast get used to the perplexing issue of no free bags to pack their groceries in. But as many have pointed out, the switch to reusable bags has been heralded for months. And, in South Australia, a plastic bag ban has been in place for almost a decade and life has continued.
Woolies withdrew thin, single-use plastic bags on Wednesday in the states where government bans were not already in place. Coles and many IGA stores will follow suit on July 1 when the Victorian and Queensland governments enact bag bans. Only NSW doesn’t require the bags to be excised from check-outs but the big chains have opted to remove them anyway.
There are reports of stores running out of green bags entirely, shoppers walking out in disgust and customers using the still-free plastic fruit and veg bags as alternatives.
Woolies’ Facebook page has been flooded with complaints.
“Do you think we are stupid?” said one customer, accusing the supermarkets of profiteering from the ban. Another said she was “horrified” that while single-use bags had been banned, their replacements were thicker and would potentially take even longer to break down.
But Woolworths has said its sole aim is to encourage customers to bring their own bags and reduce plastic.
Now many shoppers are coming to the chain’s defence, pointing out the bag ban is nothing new and, in most states, is mandated by law.
“They have been advertising for months and months about this. Harden up and make a change to help the planet you have to live on,” said Sam Williamson on Facebook.
“Get with the times, buy a 99c bag, remember to take it with you and be done with it,” said Jake Trolberg.
Elaine Laurel had a clear message for those moaning about the loss of bags or the merits of their replacements.
“Woolies told us forever ago that they would stop single-use bags … and then reminded us … then reminded us again!
“Change your behaviour and bring your bloody bags and stop whining.”
Nonetheless, the bag rage continues unabated with customers angry at having their online groceries packed in the new bags. And they are not pleased they are being asked to pay for, well, plastic bags.
Australia’s largest supermarket chain said it gave out 3.2 billion single-use bags a year; you can add another couple of billion to that figure for Coles.
In their place are a range of reusable bags ranging in price and sturdiness, starting at 15c each.
And it’s these alternatives that have riled some on Woolies’ Facebook page.
“I have been horrified to think that Woolworths thinks it is OK to sell thick plastic bags to replace thin bags. I see this as even worse for our environment, as these new bags will take even longer than the old plastic bags to disintegrate,” Julie Johnstone said.
“Try harder, Woolworths,” Daniel Rohanna said. “You really have missed the point haven’t you? Removing plastic bags at check-outs to then sell ‘reusable’ plastic bags at check-outs is completely beyond me.
“Stores such as Harris Farm were able to successfully implement their plastic bag ban months ago by replacing them with paper bags or reusing cardboard packaging boxes. Yet your big business attitude is beyond thinking outside the box and you’ve have merely thrown more fuel on the fire.”
That plastic should have been replaced by paper was a common gripe. But while paper certainly breaks down quicker than plastic, its production uses far more energy and resources than plastic bags.
Well said, Andrew. Chaos at Woolworths today, as shoppers try to adjust to an absence of plastic shopping bags. Not a good look, Woolworths !
— Owen Loney (@Minerva452010) June 20, 2018
One customer recommended people write their names on their reusable bags. He claimed he’d been charged at the checkout for a bag he already owned.
Others were suspicious of the supermarket’s motives, suspecting there was some extra coin being made somewhere.
“Isn’t this convenient for Woolworths saving money buying the bags?” Mark Fletcher said. “Talk about greed. Woolworths, with all of this money saved, will we have reduced price food now? What do you think we are? Stupid?”
“Everyone will now need to buy plastic bags from Woolworths or Coles to line their bins at home, so they sell more product of the shelf. This is a win, win, win for Woolies and Coles,” Zaya Toma said.
“What a total load of crap,” said Natasha Tiffany on Woolies’ Facebook page, not mincing her words.
“Not only are you still supplying plastic bags, you are now going to make money off them. I am beyond disappointed … that yet again you have put profit before environment … shame on you.”
It also hasn’t gone unnoticed that while the checkout may be single-use bag free, there is lots of plastic elsewhere in the store. Customers have been busily snapping plastic-packed salads, lettuces and apples, as well as the plastic bags in the fresh produce areas.
“Why is it necessary to package bananas? Nature already did it for you,” Chris Freebs said.
On social media, Woolies has responded to customers missing their plastic fix. Certain produce is wrapped, it said, to keep it fresh or where it’s sold in bulk. The firm said it had reduced the amount of plastic used in its fresh produce department by 140 tonnes in the past year.
On Wednesday, Mr Banducci, said fewer plastic bags would mean less pollution.
“We know it may take some time for shoppers to form new habits, which is why we’ve been working hard to get the message out to customers to remember to bring their own bags,” he said.
“Putting ‘reusable bags’ at the top of your shopping list, keeping a couple in the car or leaving a Post-it Note on the fridge are some simple tricks that could work as a reminder.”
Woolworths said its 15c bags were made from 80 per cent recycled material and money from the sale of its 99c “bag for good” green bags would go to Junior Landcare projects.
But there’s no persuading some people.
“Not happy about having to pay for plastic bags. Won’t be shopping with you again,” Eddie Leahy said on Facebook.
“I wasn’t the only one at the checkout today who was not impressed. Listening to the vocal minority by the sounds of it. I dumped my shopping and went to Coles.”
Come July 1, when Coles bans the bags too, that option won’t be on the table for disgruntled shoppers.
Originally published as Supermarkets cop spray from customers furious at plastic bag ban, while others say ‘suck it up’
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