bag hutch!

[cinemagirl]

Whenever I'm at a checkout till, I like to read any and all signs and notes that are visibly posted. Why? Well, for starters, nobody ever reads these things--even though some of those words might apply to them and their purchases. I like to be an informed consumer. For another, it's a form of voyeurism. What are this store's policies like? Are

Comments

[asteroidbelt]

safeway cashiers are also not suppose to offer to double bag either. they will only do it if asked.

[cinemagirl]

That's just crazy talk, I tells you! (Not on your part, but on Safeway's part.) Buy Low cashiers will either ask if you want things double-bagged or do it on their own accord. Which is cool, if only because the two Buy-Lows I frequent probably have a largely bus-riding/walking home customer base

[surrey_sucks]

Safeway, on the other hand, seems to assume that their customers all drove there.

I guess if you can afford to shop there, you can afford a car, right? (That must be their logic-it's not my logic.)

[cinemagirl]

It probably is their logic, seeing as how anything that's not a loss leader and/or on sale only with the club card is Expen$$$ive.

[nicosian]

shoppers here just started using bags so thin they're tissue paper. And the clerks have to double, or triple bag things.

We have a raft of canvas bags. But they'll bag the item in plastic, THEN into the canvas. Even if ask them not to, they insist they like to.(Argg,)

Petes Frootique here ( like urban market) has nifty pink, purple and peach ones, which is a nice change from green. I think there's a aqua too. Hard to forget em. Strong as HELL. And they have nifty zipper pouches and reinforced bottoms.

[cinemagirl]

Now THOSE canvas bags sound like good bags. My favourite canvas bag? The ones from Buy-Low. Big, strong, and reliable, if a little basic and very yellow.

As for Shoppers, the only time I like getting bags from them is when they're the larger ones that are perfect for lining our kitchen garbage can with.

[nicosian]

I'd be happy to send a couple. ( sobeys here will replace yours when they fall apart! hey!)

[cinemagirl]

We're good for canvas bags here, though--I still have those enviromental options bags i bought at Safeway when I was a young teen. Thanks, anyway!

[surrey_sucks]

Unless someone clearly needs bags (they are buying more than one or two simply to carry items), cashiers (at any store, not just Safeway) should ask customers if they want a bag. Many cashiers automatically start bagging things, even if it is one easy to carry item. That drives me nuts! Do people really need a bag to carry a 591 mL (is that the correct size?) bottle of Coke? Probably not! Dollar Giant is really bad about bagging only one item

[cinemagirl]

I hate, hate, hate when the cashier bags a single 591ml bottle of Coke. That's a single serving size! If I'm buying one bottle of pop, that means I'm about to consume it! As in, now. If I need to carry it, that's what my backpack is for!

And you're right! Thoughtless/distracted customers are going to say "Yes" (many say yes even if the question isn't a yes or no question, like "for here or to go?") when asked about double-bagging. I like Pinxie's thought-provoking "Are you okay without a bag?" as a question.

Then again, you just can't make some people think, no matter what. Sad, that.

[pinxie]

Our bags are lovely and thick, usually I can cram a good 7 - 10 items into one, most people insist I do! My queries: "Do you need a bag today?", "Would you like a bag?" and the now-classic "Are you okay without a bag?". That one usually stops the people to think for a sec. And THEN it's "Paper or plastic?" and THEN if they say "I don't care" or "Whatever you like" it's paper for them. SO many people bring their own bags. I suppose it's where I work, though. Whenever I go to Safeway, they DO look at you funny when you say you brought your own bag - not with us! We light up and offer you money off your bill! In one 8-hour shift, I used 150 plastic bags, and that was with an awful lot of discouraging/paper/canvas being used. *sigh* I try.

but you know, if I think the bag is going to rip or tear or not hold, I will suggest a double-bag or two bags, because what use is saving a plastic bag if the one you use doesn't serve it's purpose?

I knew you'd respond!

[cinemagirl]

It probably is where you work. Not only is your demographic more inclined to environmental/green/organic thinking, but you offer people a financial incentive to bring their own bags. (I think some IGAs do, too.) At Superstore, they ask you if you're going to need bags since they charge extra for them, but if you bring a PC Green Bin or a PC Bag with you, they'll give you 50 free PC points if you're paying with their PC financial cards.

Before you sigh about the 150 plastic bags, remember this: a lot of those might see reuse as garbage bags, wet swimwear bags, rainy day library book return bags, and so forth. Hell, some people even make throw rugs out of old shopping bags! And since your store's bags are stronger than normal, they're bound to see more reusage than a Safeway quick dissolve bag.

Re: I knew you'd respond!

[surrey_sucks]

It is inevitable that I do have to get new bags from stores-sometimes I have forgotten mine or make an unplanned purchase. However, I reuse the bags I do bring home as much as possible, that they end up wearing out. So at least I put them to good use.

Oh, I've also started reusing the plastic wrapping around 24-packs of toilet paper as grabage can liners for my bathroom garbage. Why not reuse it?

Royale Garbage Bags

[cinemagirl]

I do that, too! I mean, it's there, it's strong, and it's as close to a bag as you can get without actually being a bag! I've thought about introducing them to the kitchen garbage, but my dad'd probably think I was daft.(Of course, he'd probably get it after I explained it to him.)

[dolmadez]

I'm really trying to use canvas bags at stores now, too, but I forget them the majority of the time. I just need to buy MORE bags and keep them everywhere.