Coronavirus and Plastic Bag Bans

This is the place for general and miscellaneous posts on topics which might extend past the boundaries of any specific region. No non-grocery posts.
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SamSpade
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Re: Coronavirus and Plastic Bag Bans

Post by SamSpade »

Trader Joe's here has several notices in the "waiting queue" reminding their shoppers that reusable bags are not currently allowed into the store, but they have prompted customers that you can have items placed back into your cart to bag at your car *or* receive their paper bags. They seem to be having some supply issues on always having Trader Joe's labeled and handled paper bags.

The stores here also have a secondary sign letting customers know that they will *NOT* be charging for bags until after this emergency passes. In this state, the emergency is now extended until at least September 1.
CalItalian
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Re: Coronavirus and Plastic Bag Bans

Post by CalItalian »

Vons and Albertsons in Riverside County started charging for bags again on Monday, July 6. They have a new, much thicker plastic bag for 10 cents. Thicker than Ralphs. It's almost as nice as the ones Gelson's have.
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Re: Coronavirus and Plastic Bag Bans

Post by Alpha8472 »

A Walmart Neighborhood Market in the San Francisco Bay Area finally got the thin plastic bags delivered. However, thin plastic bags just got banned again. The store was not charging for bags. Now it will take forever just to get the thick plastic bags again.

Safeway has switched to thick plastic bags without the Safeway logo.
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Re: Coronavirus and Plastic Bag Bans

Post by CalItalian »

Ralphs in Menifee (Riverside County) had free thin Kroger logo bags tonight. Had signs at self checkout that all bags are free and to just press zero when the bag screen comes up.

Vons in Sun City/Menifee has free thin bags again as of yesterday. They found a "ton of them" in the back and have switched back to free bags for all.
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Re: Coronavirus and Plastic Bag Bans

Post by storewanderer »

What about paper bags?

I saw paper bags at Safeway today for the first time in a while- previously Safeway had special paper bags for NorCal that said "serving NoCal since" whatever year. The bags today were paper bags with handles and just had Safeway logo and name- no slogan and no regional message.

Most Raleys in NV still have no paper bags. Probably saving all of them to sell in CA for 10 cents so they can attempt to comply with CA bag laws.

A pallet of thin bags has like 72,000 bags on a pallet. A pallet of paper bags or super thick plastic bags has 1/10 that many bags if you're lucky. As these stores need to continue to restock their shelves due to demand increases, wasting precious space on the truck where they could put items that they actually sell at a profit with the paper bags or super thick plastic bags which have a cost at or above the .10 they sell them for, isn't a great move.

From what I am seeing grocery store demand is increasing again the past couple of weeks with 4th of July and now after that as we see more business closures, inside restaurant closures in certain counties, etc.
TW-Upstate NY
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Re: Coronavirus and Plastic Bag Bans

Post by TW-Upstate NY »

Same Wal-Mart that had paper bags (which they were charging for) the last couple weeks is now back to branded plastic bags. Target was using branded plastic last week has now gone back to paper with handles. I'm confused :roll:
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Re: Coronavirus and Plastic Bag Bans

Post by CalItalian »

NBC 7 San Diego did a story on Thursday, July 16 who is and who isn't charging for bags and who is allowing reusable bags in San Diego County (video).
https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/ ... s/2366836/
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Re: Coronavirus and Plastic Bag Bans

Post by storewanderer »

Many stores in NV are still prohibiting reusable bags. It continues to be inconsistent between chains in different locations. One store may prohibit reusable bags, another may have a sign that says if you bring bags in the bag must stay in your cart. I really don't see any harm in allowing the reusable bag in the store if it stays in the cart and the employee does not handle it and it does not touch the counter of the store, but I said that months ago. It would be best if the employees can drop the customer's items into the reusable bags without touching the bags but most are not set up to do that.

However as long as there is a plastic barrier at the checkout and we are wearing masks in the store, and as long as we are in a pandemic, the reusable bags should be an option and not forced and no fee should be charged for those who do not wish to use reusable bags. The thin plastic bags with a cost to the retailer at this point of under 2 cents each due to oil falling in price, should be what is given.

Retailers operating in areas with a high number of food stamp/WIC customers (which are required to provide those customers the super thick bags free of charge- so in that case since those bags cost 10-12 cents each now- that is a pretty significant cost for the store to shoulder) will also have some cost relief if they are allowed to continue using the thin bags.
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Re: Coronavirus and Plastic Bag Bans

Post by Alpha8472 »

Many retailers in Northern California ordered tons of thin plastic bags when the bag ban was temporarily lifted. Now they have tons of thin plastic bags that they need to get rid of. Many stores are giving them away at no charge since supplies of thick bags have not yet come in again.

The bag ordinances annoy people on both sides. Those who support getting rid of single use thin bags are upset that thick plastic bags are allowed. Those that hate the bag fee hate that you are getting charged. Everyone hates it. The ordinance solves nothing and even thicker plastic bags litter the streets or end up in the garbage.

If the store closures can be reinstated, the bag ordinance can also be temporary overturned. People want the option of a free thin bag.
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Re: Coronavirus and Plastic Bag Bans

Post by storewanderer »

A little confused here. A couple weeks ago I went into some NorCal Stores and they had signs posted that they would be charging for bags in accordance with CA SB whatever.

Three specific chains I went into a couple weeks ago and two were back to the bag fee and had signs up stating in accordance with CA SB whatever they will charge for bags; one had an effective date late June, the other had an effective date early July. Both stores were again dispensing thick plastic bags and assessing the 10 cent fee. The third large chain still had thin bags and no signs posted about the fee.

Now this week I was back in all three stores. The signs about the bag fee are gone from the two that had them, and they are both back to dispensing thin bags again. No thick bags in sight. The third store still has thin bags just like before. None of these stores have paper bags either.
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