# Plastic bags -Wales-



## gordonpuk (Mar 14, 2010)

Anyone else finding this free plastic bag ban a pain?
We used to have loads of bags under the sink, took them for granted,
now there's none! We'd just take it for granted there would bags around the house. Feels wierd having to take bags out for "small" shopping, I'm used to taking the bigger bags out for the "big shop" but day-to-day stuff when they ask you for 5p? 
All for the good though​


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## gordonpuk (Mar 14, 2010)

Got a life to spare, look at where your tax is going http://www.legislation.gov.uk/wsi/2010/2880/introduction/made

if you can get through it.


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## Edstrung (Apr 6, 2009)

It doesn't really bother me, I don't do big family shops and that's where I can see the problem kicking in, but if it's a big shop take the bag for life, and tell her to take a few of those carrier bags that last a while 

One thing that got me though was stopping off at a 24hr McDonalds few some food on the way back from work at 5am, and they just offered me the food on the tray, no paper bag! I thought the ban was on plastics because they are a pain to recycle, what about paper bags?!


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## Crispo (Mar 23, 2011)

Had to pay for a bag for my Chinese last night. Does make you realise how often bags are used, forget about the little ones just think of the food shop. I'm buying bags for life all the time now as they are only 6p so may as well for a better bag. 

My under sink stash has run dry too!


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## trv8 (Dec 30, 2007)

Guess what the Mrs is having for Christmas :lol:
Starting to see more of these about......
http://www.shoppingtrolleysdirect.co.uk/


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## mattjonescardiff (Dec 12, 2006)

5p isn't much if you need a bag, but it's enough to make people think and not use bags unnecessarily so I support it and think Wales is doing the right thing implementing this.

The McDonalds drive through scenario is a bit of a pain though and I agree paper bags should be exempt from the regulations.

It's comical how shocked some people are when they're told a plastic bag will cost them 5p in a supermarket. I saw a woman get narky with the checkout girls, refuse the bags and just put the considerable amount of shopping into the trolley. She would have then had to move every item into her car and then carry each one into the house. Not too clever for the sake of 20p's worth of bags!


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## markbob917 (Aug 31, 2010)

take away bags are supposedly exempt from it arent they? its so frustrating. ive just put an old wooden box in the boot of the car which ill put the shopping into from the trolley or if its only a few small items just a few old bags. sometimes forget them though


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## Darlofan (Nov 24, 2010)

Totally agree with OP. It's goign to take some getting used to. Our stash of carrier bags has disappeared too so for the 1st time since owning a home(8years) we've had to buy liners for the bin.
Agree we don't find the big shop too bad as we always take bags for life but it's a pain when you pop into a shop for a few items and you've forgotten your bag.
McDonalds i've not used yet but have heard its a pain at the drive through from others. Our local takeaway charge but the queues look funny with everyone holding bags for life!!!
One thing i did think of, every bag sold the government gets the money, how do they check the businesses are declaring the number of bags sold? For instance my takeaway uses a cash and carry to buy his bags. If he popped in and paid cash for a few thousand bags he wouldn't need to declare his full sales of bags, a nice sideline to boost his takings


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## Darlofan (Nov 24, 2010)

[*I]In these Regulations "single use carrier bag" ("bag siopa untro") means a bag fitting the description in paragraph (2) or (3)-
(2) A bag fits the description in this paragraph if-
(a)it is made wholly or mainly of paper, plant-based material or natural starch; and.
(b)it is not specifically manufactured for multiple reuse..
(3) A bag fits the description in this paragraph if it is a plastic bag-
(a)which does not meet all of the specifications in paragraph (4); or.
(b)which meets all of the specifications in paragraph (4) but is not intended for multiple reuse (see paragraph (5))..
(4) The specifications are-
(a)both of the bag's dimensions are greater than 404 millimetres ("mm");.
(b)at least one of the bag's dimensions is greater than 439 mm;.
(c)the bag is manufactured from material which is greater than 49 microns in thickness.[/I]*

Any idea how big a McDonalds bag is? If i've read the regs right if McDonalds made smaller bags they'd be free?


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## Darlofan (Nov 24, 2010)

Sorry to go on(the wifes having a fit now cos i won't shut up about it!!)see what you've started.

Our Sainsburys has tagged their baskets as they've lost hundreds since this came into force as everyone is using them to take stuff to the car.


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## Huw (Feb 16, 2007)

Apparently with McDonalds and the like, you get a free bag if the food is uncovered, Big Mac on its own will not get a bag as it is already boxed, Big Mac & fries will get a free bag as the fires are 'open'. Also if you buy veg, like a swede, you should get a free bag if its not wrapped in plastic, but no bag if it is wrapped. That's how it was explained to me.


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## Edstrung (Apr 6, 2009)

Huw said:


> Apparently with McDonalds and the like, you get a free bag if the *food is uncovered*, Big Mac on its own will not get a bag as it is already boxed, Big Mac & fries will get a free bag as the fires are 'open'. Also if you buy veg, like a swede, *you should get a free bag if its not wrapped in plastic, but no bag if it is wrapped*. That's how it was explained to me.


In fairness, that about makes sense, and yes I am for saving the planet one step at a time and all that. It would just be nice to know that noone at all was profiting from this - fairness, it's all we want


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## maestegman (Mar 3, 2011)

It's hard to argue with this really. I've certainly cut down on the number of bags I've been using. It's got to be a good thing.


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## nick_mcuk (Jan 4, 2008)

Wouldnt it be far better if more important issues were addressed though. 

I mean unemployment (is just plain daft in Wales). Crime, drugs etc

But no they decide to ban carrier bags! I mean FFS get a grip!

This green namby-pamby stuff is getting out of hand now.


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## maestegman (Mar 3, 2011)

nick_mcuk said:


> Wouldnt it be far better if more important issues were addressed though.
> 
> I mean unemployment (is just plain daft in Wales). Crime, drugs etc
> 
> ...


Obviously, the other important issues you allude to here are being addressed too. It's a bit myopic to suggest green issues are "namby-pamby" Nick.


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## mattjonescardiff (Dec 12, 2006)

nick_mcuk said:


> Wouldnt it be far better if more important issues were addressed though.
> 
> I mean unemployment (is just plain daft in Wales). Crime, drugs etc
> 
> ...


Wrong on so many levels! Carrier bags have not been banned, and this has absolutely nothing to do with unemployment.


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## mejinks (Nov 22, 2009)

I could write a few thousand words on the subject, but I won't. 

Essentially, our EU overlords have decreed that our disposed of waste must be charged by the tonne, that is your council will be charged for every tonne of landfill, hence the fortnightly refuse collections we have now been forced into. There is no law forcing us into recycling, but this is a cynical attempt at forcing us to recycle.

The 5p you pay could easily be 10p or 20p, but they decided on 5p after a fair bit of public consultation. The 5p you pay shouldn't go to the shop, but must be paid to charity. In a lot of shops where the charge is implemented, I have seen them put 5p into a charity box. You may wonder why 5p isn't just added to your order in the first place? Well the reason behind it is that if they did that, you wouldn't think about buying a plastic bag would you? When you are paying for it, it makes you think about it and in some cases will bring about a positive change (recycling old bags or buying bags for life)

Thats about the size of it.


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## mejinks (Nov 22, 2009)

I met the lady behind the scheme today. She is to be fair a few sandwiches short of a full picnic. 

Oh and if you are a minister in the Welsh Assembly down the bay, you don't get charged for a carrier bag if you buy from the shop.


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## PETER @ ECLIPSE (Apr 19, 2006)

just makes more of a mess in mc Ds , pisses me off when peeps just throw the bags and boxes out of the window then drive off , when a bin is no more than 20 ft away, as for the plastic bag thing , makes no difference to us , just buy the big ones job done , and yes i suppose it does reduce the numbers and waste .


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## mwbpsx (Jun 23, 2006)

do your shopping, put through the till, ask for bags, refuse to pay, give the option of returning all shopping to shelves, get free bags. tried and tested in Wales

Mark


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## Mirror Finish Details (Aug 21, 2008)

We just shop at Sainsburys in Nantwich and take a load of bags, then when shopping in Wrexham just get all the sainsburys bags out, they don't like this in Tesco. But hey I am not paying 5p for a carrier bag. Even Vodaphone in Wrexham tried to charge me for a bag for my new phone; I just stuffed it in my pocket.


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