Some shoppers suspicious over plastic bag charge

[Paphos Life]

Although most shoppers have been receptive to the new plastic bag charge some have voiced their suspicions, supermarket managers said on Monday.Some people thought the five-cent charge introduced on Sunday was a way for supermarkets to make more money.Supermarket manager Andreas Georgiou, 36, said most people have accepted the changes....

Read the article and chat about it below...

[PhotoLady]

I still hate having to pay for a bag in shops, especially as I've already indicated the only time we remember to take some with us is when we go to Morrisons supermarket.

If I find a piece of clothing I like by accident if we're out just mooching, we will often refuse to take a bag as we have a cupboard full of them at home.

But walking out of a store with unwrapped clothing always makes it look like we've nicked it instead of paying for it!

[Anarita John]

You just get into the habit of taking bags wherever you go. In Wales we have had the charge for longer than England. You are charged even for paper bags. However, the 5p charge does go to charity, and this was made clear when the scheme was introduced. In fact, some supermarkets had a choice of three charities each month and customers could vote, using a plastic disc which every shopper received when they were at the till.

[trevnhil]

At Tesco in the UK I have used the plastic discs that you put into a charity box of your choice

[bmwx5]

Was in Plus supermarket today when an old lady was asked if she wanted a standard size plastic bag charge was 6 cent not 5 cent and she questioned this but was told it was the price take it leave it. Having been a customer of Lidl for a number of years I have got used to taking a shopping bag with me mainly a Sports Direct large bag

[Cactuslil]

It’s 6cents in M&S

[RattyPatty]

Just flown back from Paphos airport and they are charging in the duty free as well.

[PaphosAL]

In UK, it's always been a flat 5p charge, with most of it going to customer-nominated local community good causes. It works well, with many people still happy to pay 5p per bag, if they need to. As to the supermarkets, they don't care whose bags you use to pack.

On the other hand, Cyprus, being Cyprus, had to make the plastic bag surcharge €0-05 + VAT (19%) = €0.0595 per bag. Which the retailers have to round up to 6c... So the Cy Gov will actually be making nearly 1c in vat on every bag sold. Mean and stingy or what?

Cheers- AL

[Dominic]

In UK, it's always been a flat 5p charge, with most of it going to customer-nominated local community good causes. It works well, with many people still happy to pay 5p per bag, if they need to. As to the supermarkets, they don't care whose bags you use to pack.

On the other hand, Cyprus, being Cyprus, had to make the plastic bag surcharge €0-05 + VAT (19%) = €0.0595 per bag. Which the retailers have to round up to 6c... So the Cy Gov will actually be making nearly 1c in vat on every bag sold. Mean and stingy or what?

Cheers- AL

The aim is not to raise revenue, but to get people to use less bags.

[PaphosAL]

I was pointing out that CyGov will be making a windfall of nearly 1c in VAT on every plastic bag sold. Will that go into central Gov coffers, or be fairly distributed to communal good causes (inc human and animal charities)?

AL

[trevnhil]

We took our own bags to Polis Road Garden of Eden this morning. We only had one problem at the checkout...
My wife gets the large wet bunches of Celery with lots of leaves on.. She always puts it in one of the large green vegetable bags, and puts another over the top to stop the leaves and water making a mess on the checkout belt.
But this morning we were told that you can only use one green bag for each vegetable... No problem said I, and I ripped one of the carefully tied bags off the celery.. Ah but now you have spoilt a bag, the lady told me.. At this point it was better all round if I said nothing..
We will know in future

[Anarita John]

Most of the checkout staff here in Wales automatically use bags to wrap prepacked fresh meat goods, such as fresh chickens, to stop any contamination of other food.
If they do not, we ask for them to be wrapped in a bag.
Also, we keep one of our carriers for fresh meat only.

Even at the chippie, we take in one of our supermarket carriers.

Even paper carriers are chargeable in Wales, so you pay 5p extra for your McDonalds or shopping in Primarni.

[Lincoln]

In Lidl TOTK this morning a check out guy GAVE a Cypriot couple 2 bags FREE as they didn't have anything at all with them, so now you know to go through the check out, pay up then pile your stuff up at the end and to get you out of the way play dumb and you'll get some free bags!!

Also in a kiosk yday I popped in for something and I didn't need a bag but I was annoyed at being told if I wanted one it'd be 6c - now I know the big shops are putting the money in a special account to help save the Earth but are the smaller ones too? Or are they pocketing it?! Exactly who is checking?!

It does not matter a hoot. What matters is the USE of plastic. The charge is to try and stop peolpe using plastic. It appears to be working even in the early stages.

[jeba]

It does not matter a hoot. What matters is the USE of plastic.

In my book what matters is reducing the littering with plastic. As long as it´s recycled I don´t see much of a problem.

[ApusApus]

The problem is that not all plastic can be recycled!


Shane

[Lincoln]

The problem is that not all plastic can be recycled!


Shane

Correct Shane and the fact is the Majority of plastic does not degrade.

[trevnhil]

But presumably it burns and energy could come from it.. Maybe .. ??

[Dominic]

Well yes it could, but I would imagine dealing with the bi-products could be problematic.

[ApusApus]

Certain plastics, called thermosetting plastics, burn at high temperatures instead of melting which releases carbon dioxide & other gases such as benzene. Whilst there is chemical processes to deal with these they are a long way off being economically viable.


Shane