Our local Virgin store started charging AED1 for a bag at the check out.

Their excuse is to save the planet.

Needed some instant photo paper, and I was asked if I wanted a bag.

I said yes, how am I supposed to carry the paper.

The man behind the counter told me it will be an extra AED1 for the bag.

Told him to keep the paper.

I am not buying!

He relented, and said he will give me a bag for free??!!

Bloody cheek!

Won’t find me going there any more!

Plenty of stores here are charging for bags. Also more self check out. Reducing costs and adding fees.
Basically screwing the consumer.
Good for you!

Store here have been that way for at least 2 years AND they don't have paper or plastic bag, only carry designer bags for $1, about AED4 a piece.

A few years ago, I went to my granddaughters high school graduation at the local Colosseum. I had my bottle of water with me + they refused to let me take it in. They said that if I wanted some drinking water that I would have to pay the vendors $5.00 a bottle.

quote:

Originally posted by richj:
Store here have been that way for at least 2 years AND they don't have paper or plastic bag, only carry designer bags for $1, about AED4 a piece.

The new pollution hazard, I've got a dozen.

Grizz

As for self check out, yes it cuts the stores labor cost but with the lack of workers now a days, at least you can check yourself out in a reasonable amount of time. Manned check out lines are long and time consuming.
Besides, self check out always has bag.

I actually really like the self check out.

I frequent a certain chain of convenience stores (Maverik) for fuel and sometimes I will
go in and buy a drink. Usually, there are two lines of people waiting at the cashier. There is
hardly anyone at the self-checkout lane. I scan my item(s) and have it processed in less than
a minute.

We still have free bags but I am sure that will change in the future.

Wages increase and the cost of technology continues to decrease.....

Increase,minimum,wage and entry level minimum wage jobs decrease.

.

I never use the self check out lanes as I feel that that takes away someone's job. Small potatoes, maybe, but they add up.

quote:

Originally posted by Norman Conquest:
I never use the self check out lanes as I feel that that takes away someone's job. Small potatoes, maybe, but they add up.

Fantastic thought.

I get good discounts from shops here when I tell them I could get these items from Amazon, but prefer to shop with them.

Friday I went to Staples for several items.

At the checkout the clerk handed me the things loose.

"just how the hell am I supposed to carry all these things? Put 'em in a bag".

He dug around under the counter and finally came up with a Kroger grocery bag. What the hell, can't staples even stock their own bags now?

George

quote:

Originally posted by georgeld:
Friday I went to Staples for several items.

At the checkout the clerk handed me the things loose.

"just how the hell am I supposed to carry all these things? Put 'em in a bag".

He dug around under the counter and finally came up with a Kroger grocery bag. What the hell, can't staples even stock their own bags now?

George

George, Walmart is the same way, no bags. The law in Colorado starting 1-1-2024 all stores won't have bags, plastic or paper. You need a bag in a grocery store? Go to the produce section, they still have plastic bags there. I guess those bags don't kill whales

Norman Conquest

Checker's jobs, how many folks are employed to make bags of any material?

TC, I totally agree that with todays technology, there are manufacturing advances that couldn't be touched by human labor. Even in my own profession of sheet metal fabrication, there are now automated machines that do all the "thinking" for those large shops. There are not that many of us left that can still do geometrical layout. It is indeed a dying trade, but then I am mostly retired now anyway. I guess what I am saying is that I know we can't fight automation, nor should we Luddites, but we can save some jobs. Even that checker appreciates a paycheck.

I take my own bags for grocery shopping. Have for many, many years. One of my bags is insulated for cold things. They are cloth or cloth-like and I like that they are strong and also re-usable.

I find those little plastic bags to be of no use.

Saeed

quote:

I get good discounts from shops here when I tell them I could get these items from Amazon, but prefer to shop with them.

I would have thought you would be recognized most anyplace you go and discount offered--obviously a discount badly needed.

I don't mind them stopping with the plastic bags and going back to the paper bags since the plastic bags are everywhere and don't biodegrade and there are more pulp trees in US anyway than when pilgrims arrived.

But charging for the paper bag is just gouging.

City of Austin has banned the use of plastic bags. So now you need to buy your own grocery totes, (usually from them, of course).

every one of those automated check-outs does away with three or four jobs. They may be minimum-wage jobs but they keep people employed , and add tax money to the system to hopefully pay for the things governments are supposed to pay for.

Do away with all those type of jobs and crime will go up as those people will have to rob you to survive ...

I totally agree. Although as an addendum, those free rides "stimulus checks" put out by the current administration, is not doing any good for folks to seek a job. Sit on your ass + get paid instead of going to work. Anyone else ,see the insanity in that mindset?