Plastic bags suck

[dragon_wings]

Ok I've been meaning to post about this but I kept forgetting. But a customer last night cemented it for me.

Background: The city I work in has recently started a policy regarding plastic bags at stores. Namely customers have to ask for a bag for their goods. (The general thought is it's in preparation for a bag tax sometime in the near future.) /end background

To try to prevent sucky customers bitching I typically ask 'Would you like a bag?' or 'Do you need a bag?'
I get a lot of *affronted look* 'Yes I want a bag!' or 'Do you think I wanna walk down the street with <one of any potential embarrassing item>!?!?!'
And I simple state 'I always ask ma'am (why is it always a lady?) and anyways it's <my city> policy that you have to actually ask me now.'
The typical response is grumbles and mumbles about how they bought something and they should damn right get a back. Or how if they don't it would look suspicious.

Last night I had a lady come up to my register and asked her if she wanted a bag.
SC: Of course I want a bag!
Me: Ok. *explains above*
SC: *gets snarky all while not listening*
Me: *tries to clarify all while being pleasant *

Afterwards I asked my manager, who was up front by coincidence and backed me up, if I handled it alright. And he told me I had and he was planning on telling me as much. We agreed that she just didn't want to listen.
This is a city policy. Not a store policy. And I *have* to do this. And luckily my management backs me up when sucky customers decide to bitch.

(We have signs but they aren't in a really visible place. Not that a SC would read them anyways.)

[MoonCat]

God, what's wrong with people? I never get upset when I'm asked this question! Lots of people carry their own bags these days, so more & more stores will ask, especially when you're only buying one or 2 little things that could fit into a purse. As long as I have the receipt to prove I bought it, I don't care.

[dragon_wings]

Exactly. That's my responds when people say it looks suspicious.
Which reminds me... I need to start carrying my bags again. I have enough plastic bags to use for trash for a while.

[xaenon]

(We have signs but they aren't in a really visible place. Not that a SC would read them anyways.)

It would not matter if the signs were eighty feet tall in blinking da-glo orange neon. Customers only see/hear what they want to see/hear, and all else is completely ignored.

[BeenThereDoneThat]

I always (unless I forget!) bring my own bags into stores these days if I feel I will need a bag...I wish more places would require it, quite frankly. I also find it helps if I pack my own bags while grocery shopping, that way the cashier can just pull things out, ring them up, put them aside and then repack the bag as they like. They usually do a great job and I get the stuff separated the way I like it (i.e. no bleach in with the butter)

[dragon_wings]

I always (unless I forget!) bring my own bags into stores these days if I feel I will need a bag...I wish more places would require it, quite frankly. I also find it helps if I pack my own bags while grocery shopping, that way the cashier can just pull things out, ring them up, put them aside and then repack the bag as they like. They usually do a great job and I get the stuff separated the way I like it (i.e. no bleach in with the butter)

I have to pack my own bags even when I use plastic. Too many years of working at grocery stores. Plus if I'm taking stuff home on the bus I want the least amount of bags possible without them being too heavy.

[slavetotheman]

The city I work in has recently started a policy regarding plastic bags at stores. Namely customers have to ask for a bag or their goods.

I'll take my goods, please

[dragon_wings]

I'll take my goods, please

Lol. Doh. I blame the iPhone's keyboard.

Eta: fixed. Lol.

[Sleepwalker]

That's one of the things I like about the store I go to now- no bags. Bring your own or you are sol.

[dragon_wings]

That's one of the things I like about the store I go to now- no bags. Bring your own or you are sol.

We have more and more customers bringing their own bags. It's great.

[EricKei]

From someone whose last grocery job was before stores started selling canvas/plasticky bags, I have a question:

If people use bags that they bought from your store in the past, how, exactly, do you know that the bags really were paid for (unless they're dirty from obvious use)..? Is it just an honor system sort of thing, and you just hope that nobody is cheap enough to just take the tags off of the bags?

[brucetiki]

They've gone one further in my city and banned plastic bags altogether. So if you want a bag, you have to pay for a biodegradable one in most places.

The thicker bags most clothes/higher end department stores use are legal though so at least you don't have to pay for those generally.

[BeenThereDoneThat]

If people use bags that they bought from your store in the past, how, exactly, do you know that the bags really were paid for (unless they're dirty from obvious use)..? Is it just an honor system sort of thing, and you just hope that nobody is cheap enough to just take the tags off of the bags?

I think the cashiers take a quick look but it's probably pretty easy to tell if the bag has been used before or not. I'm sure it's not worth worrying about for most of the larger store chains. As for me, I use one store's bags at lots of different stores so I don't necessarily leave Walmart with Walmart bags

[dragon_wings]

From someone whose last grocery job was before stores started selling canvas/plasticky bags, I have a question:

If people use bags that they bought from your store in the past, how, exactly, do you know that the bags really were paid for (unless they're dirty from obvious use)..? Is it just an honor system sort of thing, and you just hope that nobody is cheap enough to just take the tags off of the bags?

Customers don't have to pay for bags at my store *yet*. But the Organic Grocery store I worked at started charging shortly before I left and it's usually easy to tell when someone has brought bags in.

[wolfie]

If people use bags that they bought from your store in the past, how, exactly, do you know that the bags really were paid for (unless they're dirty from obvious use)..? Is it just an honor system sort of thing, and you just hope that nobody is cheap enough to just take the tags off of the bags?

Don't know about other stores, but at Canadian Tire the reusable bags are kept behind the counter (so customers can't just pick them off the shelf), and when you buy them the clerk cuts off the tag with the UPC on it.