Paper or Plastic?

[LauraGB]

When the baggers at the grocery store ask me this, I say, "Paper, please," yet every single time, they give some things in plastic. Today, the bagger actually asked me if I wanted my frozen foods in plastic, rather than just assuming I did, even though I said I wanted everything in paper. I said, "No, thank you." So, she put my produce in plastic instead. :confused:

 

I asked a bagger about this one time when I was feeling particularly crabby that they put some of my things in plastic anyway, and he told me that they get reprimanded if they don't use at least one plastic bag per order. He didn't know why. Again, :confused:.

 

So, why ask in the first place? And does anyone know why they would push the plastic bag thing?

[FaithManor]

I am not certain, but I believe that the store pays less for plastic bags than paper. I also prefer paper but I was told at one grocery store that they won't put any refrigerated products in paper because the items may "sweat" causing the bag to get soaked and the bottom to fall out. Apparently, people get pretty upset about that and of course it that bag happens to contain eggs, ouch.

 

One thing I have done to reduce plastic bag consumption, is to make cloth bags that are french-seamed for strength. When I take those to the store, they will pack them the way I want and not give me any plastic at all. Everything is safe in the cloth bags. They don't tear either.

 

I don't know if economics is the reason for the plastic preference at your store, I just know that it is at one particular supermarket here.

 

Faith

[Aunty Social]

That does seem strange. Around here, they will put the meat in plastic so it doesn't leak all over your car, but they (usually) ask first.

 

Can't think of any reason to insist on at least one plastic bag - unless it's so the store logo gets taken home.

[5knights3maidens]

I usually put brown bag inside the plastic bag. The brown always rip by themselves and it never fails that something will fall through the plastic bag.

[Heidi]

That is strange. Around here they're pushing paper bags on us to keep down costs. :confused:

[MeanestMomInMidwest]

I take my own green bags. Once I had a checker try to put plastic bags inside the green bags. Kinda defeats the purpose, right?

[Karen in CO]

I take my own and a get a 15cent per bag credit. They don't ask, they just bag. When the bags get dirty, I wash them. I have special bags for meat to keep it separate from the rest of the food.

[abbeyej]

Just start taking your own bags. Really, even at stores where that's not "standard", I've never had anyone question me. I just keep a bag full of bags in the trunk of my car. Most of mine are shaped like paper grocery bags (generous size, flat bottom) and have sturdy handles. Useful for all sorts of things. :) (I've noticed many stores don't even *have* paper bags any more...)

[Mommyof4ks]

We are encouraged to bring our own or buy 'green' bags at the checkout. I have my own and rarely use paper or plastic anymore. It does seem strange that they would bother asking if they must use one plastic bag.

[OrganicAnn]

Paper or plastic? Cloth.

[Spy Car]

Thanks to the cool designs on the bags (combined with earth-consciousness) we pretty much use the reusable tote-bags from Trader Joes wherever we shop.

 

Bill

[Heidi]

You guys are so earth-friendly. Here I was trying to decide: do I cut down my brother/tree or pollute the oceans? I prefer handles, so I chose option #2. But those cotton bags have it all, don't they?

 

ETA: Wait, wait, wait. I thought of a down-side to the cotton bags. I'd have to start buying bathroom trash bags instead of using the free plastic bags. And what would my daughters wear in their barn boots to keep their feet dry after leaving their boots out in the rain? And what would I do with dirty diapers? (oh, use cloth diapers, right.) I don't know guys... People will look at me with all my bags in the grocery line and think I'm a tree hugger when in fact I've been a tree murderer and ocean polluter my entire life! Maybe I could hand out pamphlets explaining my recent cotton bag conversion to those in line behind me. No wait... more dead trees!

Edited March 16, 2010 by hmsmith

[KatieJ]

When the baggers at the grocery store ask me this, I say, "Paper, please," yet every single time, they give some things in plastic. Today, the bagger actually asked me if I wanted my frozen foods in plastic, rather than just assuming I did, even though I said I wanted everything in paper. I said, "No, thank you." So, she put my produce in plastic instead. :confused:

 

 

 

 

I asked a bagger about this one time when I was feeling particularly crabby that they put some of my things in plastic anyway, and he told me that they get reprimanded if they don't use at least one plastic bag per order. He didn't know why. Again, :confused:.

 

So, why ask in the first place? And does anyone know why they would push the plastic bag thing?

 

My son was a bagger at a local grocery store. They got in trouble if they dind't use plastic as it was much cheaper. They were taught to ask" Is plastic ok?", no choices there then, and it's still the same way now, 5 years later.

[edithcrawley]

:iagree: with KatieinMich. When I bagged groceries a few years ago, we were told to ask "is plastic ok", and were taught to always put raw meat in plastic even if the customer wanted paper/had their own bags (so the juices wouldn't leak on other stuff). After a while, you knew which customers had which 'bagging preferences', like the older couple who wanted their stuff double bagged in paper, or the person that wanted all the canned goods in one bag, and all the glass in the other (never understood that one).

I like the plastic better because the paper bags tend not to have handles, and I can get all my groceries in my apartment in one try with the plastic (I can slide 4 or 5 bags onto each arm). I reuse the bags for bathroom trash, so I don't feel too bad about getting them. I used to go somewhere that would give you a 5 cent discount for every cloth bag you brought in, but it didn't save me all that much money (I live alone, so I don't buy that much each week), and that place was more expensive for all of my groceries (even the store brands). So I switched stores and use the plastic now.

[SonshineLearner]

 

ETA: Wait, wait, wait. I thought of a down-side to the cotton bags. I'd have to start buying bathroom trash bags instead of using the free plastic bags. And what would my daughters wear in their barn boots to keep their feet dry after leaving their boots out in the rain? !

 

I do wonder about this. Do you all have little reusable bags for your garbage cans? (restroom and kitchen)

 

:)

[MeanestMomInMidwest]

I do wonder about this. Do you all have little reusable bags for your garbage cans? (restroom and kitchen)

 

:)

 

I forget my green bags often enough that I have plenty of plastic grocery bags for the bathroom garbage and other things (we make bag kites in the late spring).

[Crissy]

Wait, wait, wait. I thought of a down-side to the cotton bags. I'd have to start buying bathroom trash bags instead of using the free plastic bags. And what would my daughters wear in their barn boots to keep their feet dry after leaving their boots out in the rain? And what would I do with dirty diapers?

 

You'd probably still get a few plastic bags.

I carry my own fabric bags, and the courtesy clerks still try to put some items in plastic bags before placing them in my bag.

 

:001_huh:

 

I have to specifically ask that they don't bag my produce, meat and cleaning supplies before they go into my own bags.

[abbeyej]

I do wonder about this. Do you all have little reusable bags for your garbage cans? (restroom and kitchen)

 

:)

 

I still use plastic garbage bags for our main trash in the kitchen. The bathroom trash cans are unlined. I just dump them out into our main trash bag when we take the trash out.

[Melissa in FL]

ETA: Wait, wait, wait. I thought of a down-side to the cotton bags. I'd have to start buying bathroom trash bags instead of using the free plastic bags. And what would my daughters wear in their barn boots to keep their feet dry after leaving their boots out in the rain? And what would I do with dirty diapers? (oh, use cloth diapers, right.)

 

When I go to target I don't bring in my cloth bags on purpose. I love to use Targets thick plastic bags for around the house. Also, when my dh stops and picks up bread and milk for us or goes to home depot he brings home plastic bags to use. Even though I always have my bags at the grocery store I still end up with plenty to use for bathroom and anything else I need.

Melissa

[Renthead Mommy]

At the China Wal-Mart there were no bags. Either you brought your own from home, or you bought reusable one there at the check out lane. They were a cheaper papery cloth bag.

 

I'm thinking they probably did have some plastic for some things (like wrapping the meat here) just to cut down on mess. Like the live turtles for instance! (And no, that wasn't in the pet department! LOL!)

[Carrie12345]

I try to bring cloth bags everywhere, but I still wind up with more than enough to use for kitty litter and other gross garbage.

 

I do everything I possibly can to keep baggers away from my groceries, so I usually only get the plastic bags I *want to get. Even then, those are usually paper inside of plastic so I can have a handle AND not have my groceries go rolling around in my car on the way home.