The great big carrier bag scam

[Couldyajust]

In England retailers with less than 250 employees have the option to charge if they want to but no obligation to do so.

In Wales no retailers have the same option they must all charge for bags.

 

In England all retailers are strongly encouraged to donate profits to charity if they do charge for bags whether they are forced to charge for them or not. They cannot be forced to donate those profits to charity but all have to keep records showing how much was charged for bags & what that money was used for.

In Wales retailers with less than 10 employees do not have to keep these records but all retailers must pay a fixed amount of 5p to the government for each bag sold (if they choose to charge more for them they keep the rest of the money for themselves) & the Welsh assembly says it spends this money on good causes but won't say what those causes are.

 

Rules are different again in Scotland & Ireland.

Edited December 18, 2015 by Couldyajust

[Mull]

In England retailers with less than 250 employees have the option to charge if they want to but no obligation to do so.

 

In Wales no retailers have the same option they must all charge for bags.

 

 

 

In England all retailers are strongly encouraged to donate profits to charity if they do charge for bags whether they are forced to charge for them or not. They cannot be forced to donate those profits to charity but all have to keep records showing how much was charged for bags & what that money was used for.

 

In Wales retailers with less than 10 employees do not have to keep these records but all retailers must pay a fixed amount of 5p to the government for each bag sold (if they choose to charge more for them they keep the rest of the money for themselves) & the Welsh assembly says it spends this money on good causes but won't say what those causes are.

 

 

Well that clears that up then!👍

[Mull]

Jeez, don't read so much into everything! It was merely an interesting fact I thought i'd share

 

 

Btw Steve, this is Arbtalk, no matter how insignificant you think your comment is, you'll be pulled up on it!

 

And it'll be tolerated! (mostly)!

 

Brilliant!

[easy-lift guy]

So what if a customer was to shop with their own bag for groceries?. Is that permitted or is there another charge some where down the line?. We can bring our own bags to shop with or the stores furnish for free here stateside. Except maybe California where most of the population is very regulated and taxed daily into oblivion.

easy-lift guy

[Mull]

So what if a customer was to shop with their own bag for groceries?. Is that permitted or is there another charge some where down the line?. We can bring our own bags to shop with or the stores furnish for free here stateside. Except maybe California where most of the population is very regulated and taxed daily into oblivion.

easy-lift guy

 

 

Good point elg, no harm in using your own bags!

 

What bugs is big stores advertising their 5p charge going to charity, leading to customers overlooking the smaller trader and in effect probably putting them out of business!

That's the aim after all.

Is this a good thing?

Not sure!

[Richard 1234]

Good point elg, no harm in using your own bags!

 

What bugs is big stores advertising their 5p charge going to charity, leading to customers overlooking the smaller trader and in effect probably putting them out of business!

That's the aim after all.

Is this a good thing?

Not sure!

 

 

I'm not sure people are over looking smaller shops because of the 5p bag charge going to charity.

I think people use the big shops for the convenience of getting all the stuff in one place.

People are working longer and longer hours to stay afloat that time is tight.

[skc101fc]

Jayzus how can the govt have made such a complicated bollox of the thing. Here in Ireland we've had a bag levy for many years ,not sure of the number but could easily be 10. None of this some businesses but not others, or some products but not others kak. Its just an outright up front, everyone knows it, charge. Works simple and we all know where we stand and what to expect. Because its a blanket coverage there's none of this what if ......rubbish , its just a straightforward pay for a bag or use your own, or one of the boxes the shops provide, thus saving themselves a disposal charge.

Many times we criticise the govt here, but they got it right with this one ,unlike your load of muppets.

And yes I am a brit living outside. I read the BBC news and am so frequently glad I got out.

Edited December 18, 2015 by skc101fc

[Mull]

I'm not sure people are over looking smaller shops because of the 5p bag charge going to charity.

I think people use the big shops for the convenience of getting all the stuff in one place.

People are working longer and longer hours to stay afloat that time is tight.

 

 

Yep, that's life now, a wee bit sad I think, oh well!😒

[Richard 1234]

Yep, that's life now, a wee bit sad I think, oh well!😒

 

 

I think it's sad too but you get caught up in life. Running a business taking and fetching kids from school the list goes on.......

 

If I went to butchers bakers etc etc it would take 3 hours instead of one. In that 2 hours I can earn the money to pay for a good part of the shopping or just spend that time st home with the kids that are growing up too fast!

 

I often feel like I'm chasing for the sake of it as I don't know any other way to live anymore.

[easy-lift guy]

Good point elg, no harm in using your own bags!

 

What bugs is big stores advertising their 5p charge going to charity, leading to customers overlooking the smaller trader and in effect probably putting them out of business!

That's the aim after all.

Is this a good thing?

Not sure!

 

Maybe the smaller stores should offer a reusable bag with their company logo on the outside. This would create brand awareness and additional loyalty for these smaller stores and not have the customers pay the extortion fee per bag.

easy-lift guy