Metropol

Wales has adapted quite well to the plastic bag charge, so much so that it's now against my nature to take one when I go to Paddington. Also they're no longer put out on the self-service tills in many of the shops I go to (if not all) so you have to ask for one.

Pete wrote:The new Scottish law is a lot more draconian than many of the previous ones. Things like McDonalds paper bags are included

From what I've read, the legislation is largely similar to Wales' so I don't see how it is any more draconian.

As WillPS says, it's the same in Wales with McDonald's bags, though I believe you can get a no charge bag for the fries as they are partially unwrapped. That exemption will also apply in Scotland.

rdobbie wrote:Discarded paper bags don't pollute the environment; they melt away within days.

It's to do with the production of paper bags which is much more damaging to the environment than plastic bag production. 'How Stuff Works' have collated some statistics here.

I see a new tesco is about to open near me in these parts, from the few times I been pasts its seems to look like the same type format used for Watford overhaul store.

What is the cafe like at these overhaul store? is it cheap?

barcode wrote:I see a new tesco is about to open near me in these parts, from the few times I been pasts its seems to look like the same type format used for Watford overhaul store.

What is the cafe like at these overhaul store? is it cheap?

You mean Harris & Hoole? Expensive if so.

If it's the normal outsourced Cafe offer which goes in most new stores outside London then it's alright; breakfast is very reasonable - the coffee and stuff is Costa but the prices are cheaper than Costa normally charge.

Turns out its Decks, if so their breakfast are bloodly awful and costly. I can see this store closing...

It seems many other hate the place.

http://coverpointfood.com/2013/08/16/de ... ny-levels/

So Sainsbury's has got rid of the orange so-called single use bags altogether in Scotland, and replaced them all at checkouts with a white 5p 'bag for life'. Except it's not at all the same as the former orange Bag for Life with the Nuts About Recycling squirrel on. These have a cat with 'Purrrfect for Reusing' or something written on it. They look pretty awful and doubt they will wear as well as the orange bags for life. I don't know if they are still available - I brought my own when I went.

More info

Sounds more like the normal crappy white bags, which cost 5p anyways

The orange 10p-ish Bag for Life is still available although it might be that you have to ask a cashier for one rather than them being immediately visible.

The 5p bag for life is significantly better to standard bags, and they'd have to charge 5p for them anyway.

All just the same as it has been in Wales for a while now.

One of my orange Bag for Life carriers split recently. As WillPS mentions, they're now kept behind the checkout rather than visible.

I've been reusing bags since 2006 and haven't had to buy a bag in that time.

I was in Tesco today and they've removed them from the self-checkouts completely (maybe just to introduce the change), so found myself having to get the attention of the attendant and ask for a bag in an Oliver Twist fashion, whilst she then remarked "Oops! You won't forget next time, will you?". I hope shop staff aren't going to be all smug about this.

I used to use all my old carrier bags for the small amount of household waste I couldn't recycle (mostly kitchen stuff), and popped them in the communal street bin - something City of Edinburgh Council previously advised householders in tenement flats to do. I've saved plenty of cash by never buying bin liners. In fact, it may be cheaper for me just pay the 5p for a couple of carriers here and there instead of buying bin liners. The checkout staff can go shove any snootiness about this.

As for Environment Secretary, Richard Lochhead, he says: "Our carrier bag addiction is symptomatic of our throwaway culture and has serious implications for the environment." This would be the same guy who's spent a decent part of the last two years handing out free plastic saltires, badges, posters and cheap plastic pens with 'Yes' written all over them.

I did notice Asda have physically removed the bag holders from the self scans, as in unscrewed the things from the scales. Indeed all the bag holding fixtures seems to have been removed from the tills. Haven't been to Tesco yet but am popping there in the morning so shall report back.