Plastic Bags

[spathiphyllum]

I think in supermarkets there should be a bag recycle scheme where everyone can bring their collection of plastic bags and put them in a metal cage thing near the baskets at the front of the shop. When you go in the shop you can use a community bag rather than buy a new one if you forget your own. Once you gather a small collection of community bags at home you can then take them back to the community bin.

Makes sense to me think I should pitch it to tesco?

[margarettom]

Morrisons have paper carrier bags for your shopping now and paper bags for fruit and veg.

[roopower]

Sainsburys and Morrisons definitely do this. Morrisons also collects plastic off magazines, bread bags, plastic from multipacks of toilet and kitchen rolls, fruit and veg bags and plastic from multi packs of cans and bottles also bubblewrap

[diddlydo]

I can't believe that anyone has surplus plastic carrier bags any more. I hoard the few free ones I get from the market and re-use them to bring home muddy veg from the allotment. When they get too muddy, I wash them (yes really!) and only give up when the handles break - then I use them to wrap e.g. a chicken carcass for the food "waste" bin.

[vulcan42]

diddlydo, you're supposed to only use biodegradable bags in the waste food bins. If my council finds an ordinary plastic bag in the bin, they seal it and refuse to take it until it is removed.

[ubasses]

Sainsburys have had plastic bag collection for some years now, last couple of weeks they have removed plastic bags from the fruit and veg. They are selling reusable bags, packs of 3 (not looked at the price). Also removed from loose bread rolls/cakes/pastries and replaced with paper.

[roopower]

Sainsburys are selling a draw string bag for 30p in the veg aisle. Didn't have time to have a good look at it. I bought a selection of different sized sturdy paper bags with handles from Amazon. They didn't cost very much. I use them for loose fruit and veg multiple times and when I do have to retire them they go in the compost bin.

[Georgiesmum]

My local supermarkets have been recycling carrier bags for years. Its nothing new.If you dont like the idea of using someone elses carrier bags, just turn them inside out.

[diddlydo]

Vulcan - you're wrong about only using biodegradable bags in the food waste bin. It depends on your local council - ours started off insisting on them but then found an alternative processing plant and we can now use any old plastic bag/bread wrapper etc

[Chipchopper]

I just use the same old fabric bags over and over again and it baffles me why more people don't do the same.

[vulcan42]

diddlydo, thanks for that information, would you mind telling which council? I would like to inform my council about this, they always seem to be about ten years behind everybody else.

[pastafreak]

I hoard the bags I get...then take them to work. We give them to clients for clothing that we give them, and also for take away food.

Sainsburys no longer has clear plastic tops on cream, etc. A bit annoying as the paper tops are easily punctured.

[retrocop]

My wife informs me that our Sainsburys no longer supplies clear plastic bags at tghe produce displays (fruit and Veg) She picked up several loose carrots and some nectarines and plonked them on the check out conveyor.The checkout girl said,"you can put these in bags you know?"My wife replied she would of but there were none there.
Checkout girl," No dear we don't do plastic bags anymore we have gone over to paper"
When my wife asked the girl where she could find them as she hadn't seen them and would of used them, the helpful reply was, "Nah dear. I don't think we got them yet. We are waiting for the delivery" :-) You couldn't make it up.

[diddlydo]

Vulcan - here's the link to the food waste recycling round my way:
https://www.aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk/what-goes-my-food-bin

[vulcan42]

diddlydo, many thanks.

[Tilly2]

It's high time that supermarkets stopped selling things in nets and wrapping things like cucumbers in plastic.
I went to Sainburys yesterday and read a sign which said, From next week we will be removing plastic bags etc...'

I wanted tomatoes and mushrooms. Both items were in packs, covered in plastic. Usually, I get all my fruit and veg from the market but even there they sell cucumbers in plastic. I just don't buy them. It irritates me!

[hc4361]

Morrison's sell unwrapped cucumbers and none of them have fit to eat - the last one I picked up squished in my hand. I dread to think how many have been thrown away, such a waste.

[ummmm]

Yes, according to one of those foodie programmes I watched veg lasts much longer in plastic wrapping. Sad but true.

[hc4361]

And loose fruit and veg bouncing around the supermarket floor won't help reduce food wastage. I seethe when I see customers squeezing the peaches and plums to see if they're ripe - I don't want to buy bruised fruit, thank you very much