Aldi markets does that here. It prompts a lot of their customers to pick up boxes from their stock and using them ,and also bringing their own bags. That is definitely a step in the right direction. I alway keep my big canvas bags in the back of my car so they'd be handy. One canvas tote is sturdy enough it can carry a third of my weekly order, and I have three of them. When I go to another market, I end up with as many as twenty plastic bags. I reuse and recycle them, but it's so much waste!

Bunnings Hardware here in Canberra charges for bags and has the cardboard boxes that their stuff comes in out the front so you can take those if you want.

I wish more places would do this, instead of giving unnecessary bags. Today I went to a big box store for 2 paint trays and 2 stir sticks. The cashier dropped the stir sticks in a bag, but was handing me the trays. I told her I didn't need the bag, please save it. So she pulled it off the rack, handed me the sticks, then threw the bag in the trash. Grrrrrr!! I think she then muttered something like "you didn't see that". I wasn't thinking fast enough, or I would have taken the bag, at least to bring it home and put it in the recycle pile.

Fry's Grocery Store doesn't charge for them... but they DO give you .05 off your bill for every bag you bring of your own. Almost the same thing, but I think if they did it the other way around, like Ikea, more people would be aware of what it is costing them, and take advantage of it. I just picked up a Chico Bag, and that really has helped! I always bring bags to re-use when I go for a major shopping trip.. but never seemed to have one with me when I just needed to "stop and pick up a few things" on my way home. The Chico bag is compact and stuffs into a small bag that can clip on my purse. ( I also stuff a couple of the plastic ones I still have, in with it.) that way I always have 3 bags on me when I need them! If you do a search for "Chico Bag" You will find the web site. They are only $5 each, or 5 for $20. and have several colors to choose from! ( I know... I sound like and advertisement... LOL! But I really like my little bag...)
Holly

Yes! I love it! Most places in Europe charge for bags. (Ikea is a European company) As a result, most Europeans carry their own string or canvas bags for shopping.

The supermarkets in this area are supposed to give a 2- cent credit for every bag brought back. But they are trained to "forget." Very frustrating. I carried string and canvas bags for years. Then we got a dog. We find that the plastic bags make great free pooper-scoopers. So, we're recycling. We also use them to line the smaller trash cans in our house, and as litter bags in the cars.

Trader Joe's charges .25 per bag! I think that's fabulous. They also sell really great bags for $1 to $2 each. The have different sizes and patterns and there are different materials to choose from. I have bought 3 and leave them in the trunk of my car. It really irks the other stores when I come in with a Trader Joe's bag but I'll just keep doing it!
Annette

One thing that really irks me is that in every news story you read/see/hear about stores considering charging for bags, all the people-in-the-street say what a good idea they think it would be - and half of them are standing with plastic bags in their hands! Well, gosh darn it, if you think it's such a good idea, why don't you take the iniative and start using reusable bags yourself?! Why wait till you either have to pay for plastic, or the plastic is discontinued?

I just get exasperated when some people think that it is the responsibility of someone else to make a change, when those individuals can make a change themselves.

Of course, I'm not referring to anyone here, lol! ;) I know we all have been using paper/canvas bags for a long time!

Reminds me of a conversation I had over dinner at a family gathering. The topic of the environment came up, and after a few words of conversation, the person I was talking to shook his head and said, "They gotta do something". No, I told him, HE had to do something. I had to do something. WE had to do something. It was then that I realized that many people are sitting around waiting for "them" to make changes, instead of doing their part.

Okay, sorry for the rant. I'm off my soapbox now.

:)
Dee

Diggerdee, I agree with you about people saying, "THEY gotta do something." Obviously, it must start with each one of us.

I feel there has been a greater sense of environmental concern in the last year or so (maybe Al Gore kicked it off), but to me it still seems like more talk than action. But at least it's a start.

I'd like to think "An Inconvenient Truth" had a lot to do with the change in people's attitudes. But I suspect a much greater force has been $3+/gallon gasoline, high heating costs, and price hikes in just about anything that uses petroleum in its manufacture or delivery. Seems walloping people in the pocketbook is about the most effective tool out there. :-p

It didnt suprise me that Ikea started to sell the bags. Everytime that i shop there i see many people grabbing alot of those bags. They are really big bags.
My Trader Joes does not charge for bags. I wonder if they will soon? I think i have become a recycle NUT. It really bothers me if im in a store and i see someone buy 1 or 2 things and have it bagged. What bothers me more is when that 1 item is something like a bag of oranges and then they bag it. I want to yell "ITS ALREADY BAGGED!" Usually when i shop i'll tell the clerk that i don't need a bag and I will take the receipt(proof of purchase). I wish more people would think about the planet and be more proactive.

I have multiple canvas and Trader Joes bags, but am bad :-o about always using them, then I feel so lame when I run into a store for a quick stop and have forgotton my canvas bags,and of course the person in front of me is loading their canvas shopper like a responsible person!!
The earlier poster who wrote "WE" are the ones that have to change is so right...
I probably use my bags about 50%, I need to work on it.

The grocery store I frequent doesn't charge for bags (yet) but they do knock a little off (I think 5 cents, maybe 10?) your bill for bringing your own bag(s). They also recently started selling a couple different sizes of re-usable bags, and are one of the few places that still give you a reasonably sized receipt...YAY!!!

Now I'm still working on having my own bags with me when I find myself at the store (haven't quite got the system down yet). My biggest obstacle is remembering to stick a bag or two back in my car after unloading the groceries. Any suggestions?

Hi J Nail.
I usually unpack my reusable bags, then immediately put them with my purse or my car keys so they get right back into the car ASAP. Otherwise, I don't have them when I need them.
ML

I have half a dozen black reusable shopping bags from Wegman's (I think they're made out of recycled plastic shopping bags), plus an insulated bag for frozen stuff. They ride around in the back of the car with me everywhere, and I take them into all sorts of stores. As soon as I unload them at home, I put them all into one bag and hang that bag from the doorknob so I can't help but remember to take it back out to the car.