When is it publicly acceptable to not get a bag when you are buying 1 or a couple of items?

Question

e.g. if the shop keeper asked me if i needed a bag i'd say no, but if they had put something in a bag for me I would not tell them I don't need it.

Answer 1

Your choice but keep a tote bag in the car for those small trips and hand it to the bagger to put your items in. Some people bring enough bags even for larger trips. It's up to  you...the bagger couldn't care less what your preference is. It's nice that you care what's publicly acceptable...a rare breed indeed.

Answer 2

well if you are buying a single item I would refuse the bag most of the time I have extra bags in the car so if I need to pick up a few things I have my own bags with me we also get a plastic tote in the car so if we go shopping we have the tote in the car {plastic tote is what some stores sell for you to carry your groceries in}

Answer 3

I refuse bags almost every time I shop.  I never allow gallons of milk, cooking oil, large bags/boxes of things to be bagged.  I always try to carry my canvas bags or recycled plastic bags with me when I shop.  I even have a pattern to make tote bags out of recycled plastic bags.  I do save my grocery store bags to reuse, and reuse, and reuse until they cannot be used any more.  If I have too many, I take them to my local store to be recycled.

Answer 4

SAVE OUR  EARTHQUAKE/TSUNAMI FREE

HELLO

I am S.Riya Subbu. I want to save our Earth with your help.

We are living under the control of Pancha Bhoot ( Water,Air,Fire,Earth, Universe).

Now frequently Earth Quake/Tsunami/Typhoon  is coming  all over World and destroying all Human beings/Livelihood/House/Building/Bridges... Stock  within a second. Also now days Global Warming is going on Alarmingly. Excess Rain/Flood destrying our Life.

Recently Canada  also face Earth Quake Problem. In Indonesia also facing Earth Quake Problem  frequently.

Please you all join with me to save our EARTH.

Do the following simple Systems in your House/Office/Working Place/Your Street/Your Society/Flat.

1.Are you saving  the following items in your House/Office/Work Place?

1. Current

2. Water

3.Petrol/Diesel/Kerosene

4.Gas ( LPG & CNG).

5.White Papper/News Paper

6. Wood

7. Cooking Oil

Note: the above all necessary for Day to Day Life. Please Try to Reduce the usage.

2. Are your Keeping your House free of the following items?

1.Plastic Free. Don’t Store Plastic Bags/Cups/Spoon( for example. Take Cotton Bag with you to market/Shopping)

2.Unutilised items like broken Cycle/Old TV Cover/broken Table/Chairs/Tyres/ Un Utilised/Non Repairable items like Bike/Car/Mixer/Washing Machine/Cooler/Utensils.

Note: Please Dispose this items which is not is use. Sent it for Re-Cycle.

3. What type of Conveyance are you using?

1.Car    2.Two Wheeler  3.Cycle 4.Using Public Transportation/Train

Note: Utilise Public Transportation/Sharing Auto/Car. You can avoid Traffic Jam/Parking Problem.Keep one two wheeler/One Car/One House for each family.( Don’t buy more than that). It will help us reduce Petrol Expenses/Pollution/Parking/Traffic Jam.

4. How many Children are you having

1. one  2. Two 3. More than Two 4. Unmarried

Note: Make one or Two Children only. Give them Good Food/Education/Shelter.

If population is more pollution is more.

5. Are Short out your Cub Board/Wardrobe?

1.Once in a Month  2. Once in 6 Months 3. Not at all doing  

Note: Short out Your Wardrobe/Cup Board/Working Table/House Kitchen free of unnecessary items. Give your Books/Old Pant/Saree/Shirt  to Poor/Needy.

6.What type of Gift are you giving to your Relatives & Friends?

1.Toys/Games 2. Greeting Card  3. Flower Bouque 4.Saplings like Rose/X- MasTree

Note: Please present Flowers/Anthorium Saplings/Rose/Seeds of Different type of Seeds as Gift to your Friends/Relatives.This will reduce the waste of Plastics Paper/Balloon/Wrapper/Cartoon Box.

AVOID

1. Avoid Smoking/Chewing Tobacco/pan and avoid Smoking/Spitting in Public Place. Smoking leads to Health disorder and it is leads to Cancer.

2. Avoid wasting Food in House/Function. If food is excess, please share the food with Poor. Take limited food in your Plate. Do not throw in dust Bin.

3. Avoid dumping Materials in House/Office. Be Plan before buying any Materials.

4. Avoid unnecessary Travels. Be plan before Travel.

5. Pray Rivers. But Do not throw Plastic Bags/Garbage on River. ( I have seen many people are throwing Garbage bag in river. Rivers are very Important for our Life.

6. Do not use Coluring Agent for Hair. It will make eye irritation/Stain in Shirt collar/Pillow Cover/Bed Sheets.

7. Do Simple Marriage. This will help us to save Money/Food/Transportation/ Reduce  arrangements etc.

Please Run Cycle (if your office/School is near to your Hose) for your Health/Wealth.

Running Cycle is keep your Body Fit. Also it helps us to reduce Petrol Bill/Pollution/Weight/Bulging Stomach/Obesity/Gas trouble in stomach and of course reduce your Petrol Bill/Medical Bill.

Please spread this Message to all your Family Members/Relation/Friends/Office Colleague/To  School /College/To your village/To your Society etc

S.RIYA  SUBBU

Please share your suggestion/Views with me thro  e.mail [e-mail]

Answer 5

Always.

I'd say follow Ireland's lead and put a tax on them.

Answer 6

Your choice as far as I'm conserned.

Answer 7

I think people often seem please when I say that I don't need a bag.  Thinking environmentally is a lot more publicly acceptable than it used to be.  I first started using canvas shopping bags about 15 years ago and people thought I was pretty weird then.  Now I don't get strange looks anymore : )

Answer 8

I tell them I do not need one before they start to bag my items. I try to bring my cloth bag if I am buying more than a few items. I don't think it's rude to refuse a bag, although some people seem to be surprised.

Answer 9

They ask  because the bag cost them money On average .01 cents if no logo is printed on them. SO over a years time if you don't take a bag that adds up to money in there BANK! So publicly acceptable or not they like it.Dose it brother you to say no.

Answer 10

Yes, it's acceptable to decline a shopping bag.  As a matter of fact, it's a favor to the store owner, who pays for those bags you don't want.

Answer 11

I think it is always acceptable to refuse a bag. I have the luck of being next to a very 'green' supermarket, who not only always ask if you need a bag or not, but the plastic bags they provide are 'fast' biodegradable ones.

The big supermarket also has a policy in place (they have it on signs everywhere) "We will not provide a bag for purchases of 3 items or less, unless requested."

I would not be surprised if it ended up being publicly unacceptable to use a plastic bag for 1 item.

Answer 12

Ummmmmm, you don't need the applause for being a good consumer, do you,?  The choice is ALWAYS yours to make.  I travel with 2 canvas bags and use paper ones too, they are for (the paper ones) the household garbage and recycling.