169 million plastic bags unused at 7-Eleven stores in two months

[webfact]

169 million plastic bags unused at 7-Eleven stores in two months

By The Thaiger

 

 

More than 169 million plastic bags have been left unused at Thailand’s 7-Eleven stores in the past two months – more than 33 million baht value alone but also a huge amount of single-use plastic not making its way into the environment.

 

CP All Public Company (Central Pattana), the sole operator of 7-Eleven convenience stores in Thailand, announced its intention to reduce and, eventually, to eliminate the use of single-use plastic bags at all their stores throughout the country last year.

 

169,054,724 plastic bags have been rejected or unused between December 7 to Febuary 7. The savings, some 33,810,945 baht, will now be donated to Siriraj Hospital.

 

Full story: https://thethaiger.com/hot-news/plastics/169-million-plastic-bags-unused-at-7-eleven-stores-in-two-months

 

-- © Copyright The Thaiger 2019-02-12

[mok199]

They make it look so so easy.

[CelticBhoy]

5 Baht a bag? Someone's havin' a laugh!

[Vacuum]

1 minute ago, CelticBhoy said:

5 Baht a bag? Someone's havin' a laugh!

The bag manufacturer whilst going to the bank?

[djayz]

I can only say that most of those bags were not used because customers told staff not to put their groceries into a bag. It most certainly wasn't staff who asked their customers if they wanted a bag or not. 

Bought a banana yesterday, which is already in a bag!, for my son. The cashier girl then put that in yet another plastic bag.... ???? One banana, 2 plastic bags... go figure.

There's still a long way to go before they make any real progress, but at least it's a step in the right direction.

[sanmyintmaung]

7 minutes ago, CelticBhoy said:

5 Baht a bag? Someone's havin' a laugh!

Actually, 20 satang per bag.

[ratcatcher]

20 minutes ago, webfact said:

CP All Public Company (Central Pattana), the sole operator of 7-Eleven convenience stores in Thailand,

Too bad The Thaiger reporter didn't bother to check that :

CP ALL Public Company Limited is the flagship company of the Charoen Pokphand Group's marketing and distribution business. It is the Thai licensee of 7-Eleven since 1989 and operates 9,542 convenience stores under that trademark in Thailand. This is the third largest number of stores after the United States and Japan.^[18]

wiki.

 

^{Central Pattana is a division of the central Group owned by the Chirathivat family.}

[GarryP]

6 minutes ago, CelticBhoy said:

5 Baht a bag? Someone's havin' a laugh!

Someone failed at maths. It works out to 0.2 Baht a bag (20 satang a bag). Still seems high though. 

[Bluespunk]

13 minutes ago, sanmyintmaung said:

Actually, 20 satang per bag.

Shame, I'd charge 50 baht a bag-however to counter that cost, I would also include, for free, a stream of abuse for actually using a plastic bag.

 

Got to give people value for money...

 

{Tongue in cheek sarcasm alert}

[leeneeds]

Getting in to the minds of locals how their use and disposal  of plastics effect the environment however small is a large move in the right direction.

 

[robblok]

I got a nice small bag that gets folded up in its own container and is less then a handful to carry. I keep one in my motorcycle. They are always quite happy to see people who bring their own bags. Though they had to get used to it at first. They actually praise people here for not using bags and sometimes even mention it to who want bags. So it a step in the right direction. 

[Bluespunk]

46 minutes ago, sungod said:

Ironic they took the photo with a little girl holding a single use plastic cup and straw!

With row upon row of plastic water bottles in the background as well.

[MaxLee]

Better late than never, some of my local 7-11 clerks appreciate my personal efforts using my own bag.

[bluesofa]

51 minutes ago, djayz said:

I can only say that most of those bags were not used because customers told staff not to put their groceries into a bag. It most certainly wasn't staff who asked their customers if they wanted a bag or not. 

Bought a banana yesterday, which is already in a bag!, for my son. The cashier girl then put that in yet another plastic bag.... ???? One banana, 2 plastic bags... go figure.

There's still a long way to go before they make any real progress, but at least it's a step in the right direction.

Absolutely.

I have tried before to get a response from 7 Eleven about this claim, but they never respond.

As I have also said too - what 7 Eleven say on their website and in their PR blurb is a lie. Staff DO NOT ask customers if they want a bag for single item purchases, as 7 Eleven keep claiming.

[sanemax]

Just now, bluesofa said:

Absolutely.

I have tried before to get a response from 7 Eleven about this claim, but they never respond.

As I have also said too - what 7 Eleven say on their website and in their PR blurb is a lie. Staff DO NOT ask customers if they want a bag for single item purchases, as 7 Eleven keep claiming.

How many different 7/11 shops are you basing that claim on ?

[dcnx]

1 hour ago, sungod said:

Ironic they took the photo with a little girl holding a single use plastic cup and straw!

That’s how absolutely clueless they are.

 

Their PR also doesn’t reflect reality. Nothing has changed at any of the 7-11 shops near me. It’s still bag overload.

[chokrai]

My local 7-11 has been asking me if I need a bag every time for a while now.

[bluesofa]

27 minutes ago, sanemax said:

How many different 7/11 shops are you basing that claim on ?

When I emailed 7 Eleven originally (nearly two years ago) it was based on three branches.

 

Since then, there have been other articles on TVF regarding 7 Eleven, with various posters refuting their 'single purchase policy' of asking customers if they want a bag - posters such as djayz above who have said the same, while highlighting their wastefulness with 'double packing' bananas in two sets of plastic.

 

While I am sure some customers have been asked if they want a bag, it is not the nationwide policy 7 Eleven claim it is.

The way I see it, the 'surplus' of plastic bags is more likely due to customers realising the harm discarded plastic is causing, and not accepting the bags - which is good news.

[wotsdermatter]

Never before have I seen so many behind the counter of a 7/11 store.  Must be because they have even less to do than before the company decided to stop using so many plastic bags.

 

'nuf sed

[robblok]

34 minutes ago, bluesofa said:

When I emailed 7 Eleven originally (nearly two years ago) it was based on three branches.

 

Since then, there have been other articles on TVF regarding 7 Eleven, with various posters refuting their 'single purchase policy' of asking customers if they want a bag - posters such as djayz above who have said the same, while highlighting their wastefulness with 'double packing' bananas in two sets of plastic.

 

While I am sure some customers have been asked if they want a bag, it is not the nationwide policy 7 Eleven claim it is.

The way I see it, the 'surplus' of plastic bags is more likely due to customers realising the harm discarded plastic is causing, and not accepting the bags - which is good news.

In my area they ask and thank you if you don't take a bag. Its a mainly Thai area maybe they just don't like dealing with grumpy expats who will throw a fit if they don't get a bag. (there have been topics on Thaisvisa where posters lost it when they could not get a bag).

 

Anyway things are slowly changing for the better, its a lot bags less. But of course all we can do is complain about this because its not perfect. Guess what nothing ever is.

As for water bottles and other stuff, i separate them and the village collection people are happy as they sell them on for recycling. 

[robblok]

26 minutes ago, wotsdermatter said:

Never before have I seen so many behind the counter of a 7/11 store.  Must be because they have even less to do than before the company decided to stop using so many plastic bags.

 

'nuf sed

My observation is that it goes slower if they don't use their bags but your own. Takes a bit getting used to. 

[samsensam]

Just now, robblok said:

In my area they ask and thank you if you don't take a bag. Its a mainly Thai area maybe they just don't like dealing with grumpy expats who will throw a fit if they don't get a bag. (there have been topics on Thaisvisa where posters lost it when they could not get a bag).

 

Anyway things are slowly changing for the better, its a lot bags less. But of course all we can do is complain about this because its not perfect. Guess what nothing ever is.

As for water bottles and other stuff, i separate them and the village collection people are happy as they sell them on for recycling. 

 

maybe they just don't like dealing with grumpy expats who will throw a fit if they don't get a bag.

 

really? what area is that? in my area for a long time is has been the foreigners saying they dont need a plastic bag - despite the shop staff trying to get them to take one, or two... and it's the locals who always need a bag for their drink (already) in a bottle/cup, or for anything big or small... in a bag please.

[robblok]

3 minutes ago, samsensam said:

 

maybe they just don't like dealing with grumpy expats who will throw a fit if they don't get a bag.

 

really? what area is that? in my area for a long time is has been the foreigners saying they dont need a plastic bag - despite the shop staff trying to get them to take one, or two... and it's the locals who always need a bag for their drink (already) in a bottle/cup, or for anything big or small... in a bag please.

Just read Thaivisa, when Tops and other shops had a bag free day some expats were complaining a lot swearing they would never shop there again. Complaining how bad it was. So I am not making it up just read it here on this wonderful forum.

[ZeVonderBearz]

2 hours ago, djayz said:

One banana, 2 plastic bags... 

Not seen that one. How does it compare with 2 girls 1 cup?

[thaiguzzi]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

169,054,724 plastic bags

Who had the job of counting?

[Pasadena]

2 hours ago, djayz said:

I can only say that most of those bags were not used because customers told staff not to put their groceries into a bag. It most certainly wasn't staff who asked their customers if they wanted a bag or not. 

 

I can guarantee staff ask me everytime in many branch.

[scorecard]

2 hours ago, ratcatcher said:

Too bad The Thaiger reporter didn't bother to check that :

CP ALL Public Company Limited is the flagship company of the Charoen Pokphand Group's marketing and distribution business. It is the Thai licensee of 7-Eleven since 1989 and operates 9,542 convenience stores under that trademark in Thailand. This is the third largest number of stores after the United States and Japan.^[18]

wiki.

 

^{Central Pattana is a division of the central Group owned by the Chirathivat family.}

And unless it's changed recently, there are 7/11 shops operated by franchise in Thailand with direct franchise contract with the ultimate brand owner in Japan. 

 

Again poor reporting...

 

 

[MrMo]

3 hours ago, CelticBhoy said:

5 Baht a bag? Someone's havin' a laugh!

You need to go back to primary numbers class, CelticBhoy.   That's 33m Baht divided by 169m bags which comes out real close to 5 satang a bag.

[kannot]

utter  BS,  of  course they didnt  cause the problem in the first place eh

[MrMo]

Among other convenience stores and supermarket chains in Thailand, Big-C committed on the 4th of December to not provide the ugly, insipid green plastic bags on the 4th of each subsequent month.  Can January 4th they had forgotten that in the Buriram store.   And they hadn't remembered by the 4th of February either.

How have others found there local stores ability to keep to commitments ?