Random observation about supermarkets...

[Bob Schlapowitz]

So I went to the local Stop & Shop to pick up a couple of things. And they're really pushing the reusable cloth shopping bags. Going green and what not, I get that..............But then I bought TWO items and got a receipt that was about a foot and a half long AND about another foot of coupons. Isn't that a little counterproductive towards helping the environment?

[default]

I once got a sheet that was over two feet for an order that came out to .34 cents. Granted, I used about ten coupons or so. It hung on the fridge for the longest time until my dad took it to work to show it off.

[Cyno]

It's a bit counterproductive, but it's at least more "green" using those plastic and paper bags. Especially since a lot of people tend to use the coupons so it isn't entirely wasteful.

That said, we reuse said plastic bags a LOT in this house. For garbage bags, pooper scoopers, etc.

[BorneAgain]

I myself thankfully am able to utilize both a tote bag and plastic bags I get at the store which I then recycle.

No environmental guilt at my end.

[Ben Wyatt]

Aug 8, 2010 20:19:09 GMT -5 Bob Schlapowitz said:

So I went to the local Stop & Shop to pick up a couple of things. And they're really pushing the reusable cloth shopping bags. Going green and what not, I get that..............But then I bought TWO items and got a receipt that was about a foot and a half long AND about another foot of coupons. Isn't that a little counterproductive towards helping the environment?

Yes!

That's something that has NEVER made sense to me

[James McCloud IS John Godot]

One is a lot less destructive than the other. Guess which one it is. The net benefit is still way in the black.

[Non Banjoble Tokens]

But you need all those coupons! How else are you going to save 2 cents on a bottle of imitation bacon bits?

[ToyfareMark]

Those cloth bags are such a chore, on the rare occasion when I have to run a register and some doofus hands those things to me to put their stuff in, I just wanna spin kick the hell out of them.

There just isnt enough space in them to put a good amount of stuff in, so you end having to use like 10 of them. Its so frustrating.

[Deleted]

Meh. Think of the amount of wood palettes the average grocery utilizes to conduct its business. You save a tree, they kill two.

[YAKMAN is ICHIBAN]

Plastic bags are great for cleaning out litterboxes.

[Dr. Mantis Toboggan]

As a supermarket cashier (at a Stop and Shop, no less) I can definitely attest to this. Especially when I'm on my break and I have to hold a foot and a half long receipt around with me for security reasons when all I bought a bought was a 20oz bottle of soda.

Not only do they push the reusable bags, they don't seem to be phasing out the plastic bags at all. Some other markets around here urge you to bring your own bags or old bags and if you want a bag from them, they charge you a nickel for it.

[default]

Aug 8, 2010 21:07:16 GMT -5 ToyfareMark said:

Those cloth bags are such a chore, on the rare occasion when I have to run a register and some doofus hands those things to me to put their stuff in, I just wanna spin kick the hell out of them.

There just isnt enough space in them to put a good amount of stuff in, so you end having to use like 10 of them. Its so frustrating.

Yeah. I used to use them when I'd walk to the store as if it was two bags or so they were handy for carrying back especially canned or anything heavy. But I've been behind a few people who used ten to twenty of them and the line gets insane. So if you've done enough shopping to fill up two handbaskets or less, then cool. But if you have stuff hanging out of your cart (like we usually do in my house), it's going to be a hassle.

It also doesn't help at the grocery in my new town, that they don't have the plastic bags at the end of the register for when cashiers have baggers to help. It's annoying to me, as I'd rather just stand there and bag the stuff myself. When I do bring the home bags, I usually have to tell the cashier just to set the stuff on the other side of the conveyor so I can bag it up.

Oh, and when using the cart... I do still insist on taking every bag from the cashiers to place it back in the cart, though. I might as well make use of all the hours I've spent playing Tetris.

Also... why do they insist on bagging gallon jugs of lemonade? It's just an accident waiting to happen.

[darthalexander]

One thing I've seen with these bags is people open them up in their baskets, place all their groceries in each bag, then go to the cash where they then take them all out again....only to have them put back in afterwards. Being behind these people in line is a real drag.

[ToyfareMark]

Aug 8, 2010 21:17:50 GMT -5 @lesscra said:

Meh. Think of the amount of wood palettes the average grocery utilizes to conduct its business. You save a tree, they kill two.

What? They are reused again and again, most of them get sent back to warehouses just to be reused. Also, stores keep alot of them to build floor displays on, and eventually they get sent back too, to be reused.

[jamielowndes {N}]

Ugh, considering that Ive worked in a supermarket for 4 years, I can agree with all the resentment coming from this thread.