Shopping Discussion

Now Metro is going to start charging for plastic bags

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  • May 22nd, 2009 4:38 pm
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Deal Addict
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Aug 9, 2003
2358 posts
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Toronto

Now Metro is going to start charging for plastic bags

According to this article:

http://business.theglobeandmail.com/ser ... wMetro0518

Metro stores will start charging 5 cents a bag starting June 1 -- the same day the new law on plastic bags goes into effect in Toronto.

Ok. Fine. Now everybody's going to be charging for bags. Oh well. But it isn't going to change the way I shop.
(actually, now that I'm paying for bags, the quality of the plastic in the bags I use to seal all my wasteful garbage in is much higher. :evil :) :D

I know the environmentalists are going to be cheering for this, but just keep in mind that people still use about 55 million plastic bags every week. Now that all the major grocery chains are charging a nickel, that's $2,750,000 in extra revenue per week they could be making.

Think about it.

--Pete
Remember: We elect the government we deserve.
72 replies
Moderator
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Sep 30, 2001
30160 posts
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Toronto
A lot of whining about nothing imo. People will use cloth bags or re-use cardboard boxes. We've been doing it for ages and haven't seen any decrease in the quality of our lifestyle.
Be kind and civil with one another
Deal Guru
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Apr 17, 2005
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okay, so it won't change the way you shop but do you think that means it wont change the way others do? do you really think that number won't go down?
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Deal Fanatic
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Aug 24, 2006
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Vancouver
I see nothing wrong with this. Maybe it'll stop idiots like the one customer I had who brought an cloth enviro-bag and then told me to put the product in a plastic bag before putting it in the cloth bag.

And for a second I thought this was all stores in Metrotown mall! Seemed kinda weird =P
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Feb 9, 2005
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Scarborough
What law?
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Deal Guru
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Jun 1, 2006
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It is either a fee or a complete ban on plastic bags. At least with a fee, you have a choice of whether you want a bag or not.
Have a nice day!


Member
Apr 21, 2009
308 posts
8 upvotes
I don't get what the big deal is though. Why are we starting threads that say for ex. now Walmart is going to charge for bags...now Sobeys...now Metro etc etc. When the law was passed by the city they said it will apply to all stores that sell groceries. I hate to break it to you but it looks like the law will apply to everyone that sells groceries, probably even SDM, your local corner store, Dollarama etc etc.
Deal Fanatic
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Jan 14, 2004
9720 posts
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Markham
It's better to have a charge on bags than a ban. I bring the reusable bags when I can, but sometimes on unplanned shopping trips, you just might not have your bags. It's good to reduce waste, but it also has to be practical.
Newbie
Mar 17, 2009
83 posts
7 upvotes
The thing is, not everyone lives in Toronto. The stores in other cities aren't bound by that new bylaw so for me, its useful to hear when stores are going to start charging for bags.
Deal Addict
Apr 25, 2004
1221 posts
185 upvotes
Question: What do people use to line the garbage cans?

We use plastic bags from grocery stores to line garbage cans, and if we don't visit a "premium" store for a while, we actually run low on bags. (i.e. if we go to No Frills/Food Basics for 2-3 weeks, without going to Metro, then we run out of bags we use to line the garbage cans.)

I was wondering if people who rant against plastic bags actually go out and buy the Glad stuff for their garbage...

Five cents isn't a big deal. But people are really starting to charge for everything nowadays...
Banned
May 12, 2004
9756 posts
4136 upvotes
Ottawa
Looks like I'll need to start buying rolls of plastic bags for the garbage in the kitchen. Cheaper than 5cents/each and not a single change in the number of plastic bags being taked from my house to the landfill.

The only difference is that I'll put the box of plastic bags in a cloth enviro-friendly grocery bag to bring them home...and all the enviromentalist will smile having won this war when they see me hauling that cloth bag.

The grocery chains are so enviromentally friendly that they killed the compostable paper bag about 5 years ago because they were more expensive than plastic. This recent plastic bag laws were initially drawn up to give customers a 10cent rebate per bag when they used their own bag. The grocery chains lobbyed that these types of changes are difficult to make on the cash registers and volunteered (obviosuly) to charge the 5cent fee.

Hypocrites!
Deal Addict
Apr 25, 2004
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Cas77 wrote: Looks like I'll need to start buying rolls of plastic bags for the garbage in the kitchen. Cheaper than 5cents/each and not a single change in the number of plastic bags being taked from my house to the landfill.

Where can you buy the roll of plastic bags?

I wonder if Costco are going to see their large plastic bags get taken more liberally. I already see people (mostly of the Asian persuasion :) ) just rolling those bags off without putting anything in them...
Deal Addict
Apr 25, 2004
1221 posts
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teknoluv wrote: I have no problem with banning plastic bags, but charging extra fees (be it 5 cents or less) makes me sick.
So my question applies to you then. What would you use to line your garbage cans if plastic bags from grocery stores are "banned"? Do you go buy plastic bags to hold garbage?

(Someone's gotta be buying those (i.e. people who use cloth bags? :) ), else Glad wouldn't be selling them. What is the "environmental" impact from the Glad bags? Should those be banned too?
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Jan 7, 2005
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I have been paying 5 cents for bags for years now with no frills. So I can't bother to complain. But its the QUALITY of the bags you get for 5 cents that suck. they are very thin and way smaller than before.

How do these people live day to day worrying about the environment and their carbon footprint.

Step 1. Instill guilt and fear where there was none before
Step 2. Create new tax that alleviates said fears
Step 3. No complaints? Repeat Step 1
Ephemera

Member since 2005.
Deal Addict
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Aug 9, 2003
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Toronto
casperjj wrote: The thing is, not everyone lives in Toronto. The stores in other cities aren't bound by that new bylaw so for me, its useful to hear when stores are going to start charging for bags.
Bingo! We have a winner!

Isn't it convenient how the grocery stores are jumping on the bandwagon and suddenly turning what used to be an expense into a source of revenue. And making people do it willingly. This possibly one of the best examples of brilliant social engineering.

Now what I'm waiting for is someone to come down with a wicked case of salmonella from carrying their fresh produce in a cloth bag that once contained some meat where some of the liquid escaped. I wonder how many people realize those bags need to be washed regularly?

--Pete
Remember: We elect the government we deserve.
Deal Fanatic
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Jul 20, 2004
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If you don't have the common sense to wash out a bag that's dirty, maybe purchasing food and general survival is not for you. Honestly, is this a difficult concept to get your head around?

I don't spend all day "worrying about the environment" but I make better choices when I can. I keep a few cloth bags in the car, and a small foldable one in the bag I usually carry in case I have to do an unplanned grocery trip. If I need a bag, I buy it and reuse it. No big deal.

Maybe I'm being "socially engineered" but I've done a fair bit of research into the effects of plastic and it's pretty serious. Putting user fees on harmful behaviour is nothing new (uh, cigarettes?) and is hardly anything to get up in arms about. It's hilarious how people can whine about 5 cents when they're dropping 8 bucks on a coffee in the mornings.
Deal Guru
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Aug 20, 2005
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Nowhere
My way to handle this is to bring the competitor's bags with me when I shop at the stores charging for bags. When you go to Metro, bring Sobey's bags. I'm sure they will appreciate seeing customers walk out with the competition's bags. Remember stores used to use bags as a form of advertising.
Sr. Member
Jan 31, 2009
626 posts
29 upvotes
Honestly i don't give a crap about the environment. Having said that 5 pennies per bag is nothing.
Deal Addict
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Aug 9, 2003
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flashy_mcflash wrote: If you don't have the common sense to wash out a bag that's dirty, maybe purchasing food and general survival is not for you. Honestly, is this a difficult concept to get your head around?
You're talking about common sense. Remember the highly-touted lawsuit stemming McDonald's not warning someone that a cup of hot coffee was hot? (despite the fact it was overturned, it makes my point)
flashy_mcflash wrote: I don't spend all day "worrying about the environment" but I make better choices when I can. I keep a few cloth bags in the car, and a small foldable one in the bag I usually carry in case I have to do an unplanned grocery trip. If I need a bag, I buy it and reuse it. No big deal.

Maybe I'm being "socially engineered" but I've done a fair bit of research into the effects of plastic and it's pretty serious. Putting user fees on harmful behaviour is nothing new (uh, cigarettes?) and is hardly anything to get up in arms about. It's hilarious how people can whine about 5 cents when they're dropping 8 bucks on a coffee in the mornings.
But the difference is that you, at least, are putting some thought into the whole process. Regardless of my feelings, I can certainly respect someone who does some research and makes a conscious decision. What bugs me is the myopic kneejerk reactionaries who immediately applaud these corporations without seeing what's really happening.

...And the last thing you'll find me doing is paying $8 for a coffee in the mornings. ;)

--Pete
Remember: We elect the government we deserve.

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