By Angela Haffenden
I must go shopping on average three times a week, and still I always forget to take carrier bags and a pound coin for the trolley. I have an array of plastic, canvas and other hard wearing re-useable, eco-friendly bags, purchased from various supermarkets since the whole “take your own bag” thing became vogue. I also have pound coin shaped trolley tokens that never seem to fit when I try to use them.
My main problem is at the end of the shopping experience/trauma, I’m at the till and I answer “No”, when asked if I have brought my own bags? Guilt hits me, I feel ashamed. I must point out that not all cashiers make you feel guilty. However, there are hardcore factions of eco warrior till operators who take the situation very seriously. These are the ones I always seem to come across, and they make me feel like a naughty schoolgirl.
There are of course certain supermarkets that don’t give you bags, even if you don’t have any (and you have to pay an extortionate amount for them). In these situations, I end up throwing everything un-bagged into the trolley and have to load it in my car that way. The result being, I have to get carrier bags when I arrive home and bag it from the boot to take it indoors.
In my defence, said plastic bags ARE used at home for lots of different things. I give the kids their packed lunches in them, I use them as bin liners for the small bathroom bins, I pick up doggy doo with them. They ARE re-used! Therefore, now I think about it, I’m not guilty m’lord.