Plastic Bags in Supermarkets : what are they doing with the money ? | Use Celsias.co.nz - New Zealand's guide to sustainable business

So Ive just been to Pak n'Save . Didnt bring enough green bags so needed to buy 2 plastic bags. I have no problem at all with paying
for them - in fact I totally approve.But what are Pak n' Save doing with that money given that they were already charging for the plastic bags in their overheads? Wheres that extra money going? Ive seen no promotion about what they are spending it on ...and I'm curious

In September 2009 in Consumerism

9 replies

Frog P 150°

Maybe they give it to that Clean Up NZ charity or use it for the benefit of the supermarket?

Written in September 2009

Lucia K. 272°

I know what u mean they should have a sign thats says RE can impact on us in a great way and what the heck are they doing with the money?

Written in September 2009

Tim M. 60°

So I asked the website that Pakn Save have for cutomer feedback where does the money go , and got a surprisingly quick reply - Heres what they said

Where will the funds raised from the charge go?
The main aim of the charge is to drastically reduce plastic bag usage. When this happens, we won’t sell many bags at all.
There has always been a cost for plastic bags so charging for plastic bags is part of the PAK’nSAVE policy to bring you the lowest grocery prices.

Written in September 2009

Ingo R. 75°

Hi Tim.
Question: Why did you have to buy plastic bags?
Even if they ran out of cardboard boxes (free of charge), would you not consider putting everything into the boot of your car without bags and maybe having to walk a couple of times from car to kitchen? Or get a box from somewhere once you're at home, go to your car and put everything in there?

Written in September 2009

Tim M. 60°

Haha...If I was that organised I wouldnt need them !! but not really the point here

Written in September 2009

Nick R. 169°

My company has recently been contracted by DoC to clear and remove willow and flowering cherry from a whitebait spawning spot. The site has been further enhanced by DoC staff and others with an educational description board and suitable spawning vegetation established onsite using funds from plastic bag sales.

Written in May 2010

marya 10°

Nice, Nick ( except for the photo you use which creeps me out !) what was the source of the grant ? any particular supermarket?

Written in June 2010

Ingo R. 75°

So they are selling plastic bags and then giving some of that money to clean up some of the mess.
Sounds a wee bit like "the killer is paying for the funeral".
Sorry, no excuse, no solution. Other countries have banned plastic bags decades ago without issues. Just clean green NZ cannot do it because of the poor customers complaining. And the other more conscious customers buying eco bags. And since they have forgotten theirs at home, they buy some more and end up throwing some of them away when they become too much in the drawer at home. But throwing them away is probably okay - it's ECO bags after all. (sarcasm end).

Sorry folks: But what's wrong with a bagpack or the cardboard box that is surplus to the supermarket anyway, that is made of recycled pulp, can be recycled again or will be feedstock for further trees once the recycling loop ends? End it will bind CO2 while in the loop (assuming the perfect scenario).

Written in June 2010

G 10°

What a 'waste' of time. Plastic bags are the pus filled pimple on the backside of the multiple bummed beaties such as oil, poor agricultural practices and criminal trading in endangered materials (Indonesian hardwood for eg). Respect to Ingo's comments, take your backpack/chuck in the back of your car and move on to something worthy of your time.

Written in June 2010

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