Yesterday I took the boy and we went to buy some food at Foodland, located somewhere in the Bangkok Metropolis.  I had forgotten it was Tuesday and was going to be a hide the plastic bags day.  Sure enough, they had placed boxes over the plastic bags at the end of the checkout so you wouldn't see them and get strong armed into buying a bag you will likely never use again.  

 

I can't in good conscience put my cat dookies in a cloth bag!  I need plastic bags and lots of them! 

 

When I got to the checkout, I told them no bags no sale.  I told them they could put everything back on the shelves and put the cut Pastrami (my boy loves pastrami) back the way it came.  They could reverse slice it if they cared to.  I told them in no uncertain terms, that I would leave and leave all the food in the basket. 

 

It did cause some concern among the checkers but eventually a nice lady manager came by and gave them the ok to .... wait for it ....

 

RELEASE THE BAGS.  

 

And release them they did!  You'll notice that I bought 10 Kilos of Cat Litter.  I could not get them to not bag the cat litter!  They put two bags on the litter even though you will see from the photo, that the bag had a wonderful handle built-in.  I got double-bagged!  

 

That's ok, my bag supply is growing!  

 

 

Edited November 21, 20196 yr by 4675636b596f75

Yes ! purely from a practical point of view. 

If I had stuff that could not be reasonably carried then they would have to bag it or I would leave it. The option to buy a non-plastic bag should be and remain a choice, or preference and NOT compulsory.  (imho)

Just now, CharlieH said:

Yes ! purely from a practical point of view. 

If I had stuff that could not be reasonably carried then they would have to bag it or I would leave it. The option to buy a non-plastic bag should be and remain a choice, NOT compulsory. (imho)

Walking around Thailand with the ability to avoid the gaps in the pavement is hard enough when your eyes can see the terrain beneath you, but now add a ridiculously cumbersome box with food items rolling around and think about your safety.  

 

FoodLand and all other stupidmarkets should be sued for any injuries due to not being able to control one's own groceries!

 

Try navigating the parking lots, with cables strewn across, uneven pavement and bad steps, and do it while balancing a huge box full of groceries.

Can you not walk out of Foodland pushing a trolley with your groceries in it?  Makro never supplies bags and  unless you went to Foodland by public transport, I don't see the problem. However I do agree that they might have made an exception, after all, Thais don't normally question things like this.

This country is swimming in plastic and something needs to be done.

 

I think its a good thing the supermarkets are at least trying to raise the awareness of the locals,

 

However it seems some foreigners are not interested in ridding the place of plastic either.

 

Is it really so hard to buy a re-usable bag or bring your own ?

25 minutes ago, Bangkokhatter said:

This country is swimming in plastic and something needs to be done.

Yes, let's do something.  Anything.  Just do it.  

 

I do something, I collect as many bags as I can.

 

 

at Villa Market I tell the super beautiful check out checker person to put everything back in the cart.

10 minutes ago, NCC1701A said:

at Villa Market I tell the super beautiful check out checker person to put everything back in the cart.  You can shop for me on Tuesdays.  I just want to know where you will put the 5k bag of rice.

I'll pay you to shop for me.  How much?

Edited November 21, 20196 yr by 4675636b596f75

This 3bb bags are handy ...would also go for medium shopping folded 19cm x 14 cm…..open 36 x40 x 12 cm 

And for those with big pickups ….I don't see a reason they can not walk up with shoppers to their car and fill one of those plastic crates in the boot...

Edited November 21, 20196 yr by david555

4 hours ago, 4675636b596f75 said:

When I got to the checkout, I told them no bags no sale.  I told them they could put everything back on the shelves and put the cut Pastrami (my boy loves pastrami) back the way it came.  They could reverse slice it if they cared to.  I told them in no uncertain terms, that I would leave and leave all the food in the basket. 

 

It did cause some concern among the checkers but eventually a nice lady manager came by and gave them the ok to .... wait for it ....

So by your own description you acted like a dick over the fact that YOU forgot it was no bag day, and then come here and brag that you acted like a dick.

 

Like you are a fellow Yank and all that, but our position on this earth, ie representing the greatest, freest, richest and most powerful nation that ever existed, the beacon of hope in an otherwise crappy world, give us Americans the heavy responsibility of not acting like dicks in foreign countries where we are permitted to come and go as we please as guests.

 

No big deal dude, except to the extent that a foreigner has given a hard time to folks who are just doing their job. Over plastic bags. Nice example of American Exceptionalism.

 

Im possibly the biggest dick in the history of the known universe myself, but I save that for the right occasion, and berating some meek Thai chick cashier over plastic bags isnt one of them.

 

 

Edited November 21, 20196 yr by Nyezhov

Wonderful idea.  Sometimes I shop on a whim.  I take Ikea bags with me to Makro because I know they don't have bags.  They don't hide them.  

 

I plan my trips to Makro.  In the case of shopping at Foodland I may do it spur of the moment and I might not be home.  I don't carry those stupid clothes bags with me when I go out.

1 minute ago, 4675636b596f75 said:

Wonderful idea.  Sometimes I shop on a whim.  I take Ikea bags with me to Makro because I know they don't have bags.  They don't hide them.  

 

I plan my trips to Makro.  In the case of shopping at Foodland I may do it spur of the moment and I might not be home.  I don't carry those stupid clothes bags with me when I go out.

I guess when you go shopping you bring your stuff first home ….?Or you take it all along your day/night journey ? besides it is like a wallet folded ...and just a suggestion not force .

13 minutes ago, david555 said:

I guess when you go shopping you bring your stuff first home ….?Or you take it all along your day/night journey ? besides it is like a wallet folded ...and just a suggestion not force .

I read the above twice, and I still don't get your meaning.

5 minutes ago, 4675636b596f75 said:

I read the above twice, and I still don't get your meaning.

I was reading your reply in the way you don't like  walking around with a shopping bag when going out .

lost in translation I think 

Edited November 21, 20196 yr by david555

3 minutes ago, david555 said:

I was reading your reply in the way you don't like  walking around with a shopping bag when going out .

lost in translation I think 

You keep a condom in your wallet for that time you didn't plan.  Do you have 2?  Or perhaps 5 condoms in your wallet? Who goes out to the movies and takes shopping bags with them, just in case they shop?  

 

This is why stores have bags.  

29 minutes ago, 4675636b596f75 said:

I don't carry those stupid clothes bags with me when I go out.

Proudly stupid. It's the best way to be stupid if you've gotta be.

2 minutes ago, 4675636b596f75 said:

You keep a condom in your wallet for that time you didn't plan.  Do you have 2?  Or perhaps 5 condoms in your wallet? Who goes out to the movies and takes shopping bags with them, just in case they shop?  

 

This is why stores have bags.  

understand …. but what you go do 1 January as it seems the Thai government go on with their plan ….

 

3 hours ago, ratcatcher said:

Can you not walk out of Foodland pushing a trolley with your groceries in it?  Makro never supplies bags and  unless you went to Foodland by public transport, I don't see the problem. However I do agree that they might have made an exception, after all, Thais don't normally question things like this.

Great idea. But perhaps they will not allow you to walk home with the trolley. But it would be worth a try. 

Where ever I go, I carry a backpack (day pack).

But of course I live in 2019 and I am not a pseudo HiSo.

And when I want to buy bulky items, I plan in advance.

 

The only people I sympathize with are tourists unaware of a "no bag" policy and without the ability to prepare for it. A recent visitor from Japan wound up at Tops Market just off the plane, and was shocked he would not be provided with a bag for his purchase. Seems a simple alternative is to just charge 5baht for a bag. So you can get it when it is absolutely needed, but have the ability to plan for not needing one and saving the 5baht.

3 minutes ago, timendres said:

The only people I sympathize with are tourists unaware of a "no bag" policy and without the ability to prepare for it. A recent visitor from Japan wound up at Tops Market just off the plane, and was shocked he would not be provided with a bag for his purchase. Seems a simple alternative is to just charge 5baht for a bag. So you can get it when it is absolutely needed, but have the ability to plan for not needing one and saving the 5baht.

agree, but why only 5 baht ?

 

If Tuesday is 2 No Bag Day, what day of the week is 1 No Bag Day?

13 hours ago, 4675636b596f75 said:

Wonderful idea.  Sometimes I shop on a whim.  I take Ikea bags with me to Makro because I know they don't have bags.  They don't hide them.  

 

I plan my trips to Makro.  In the case of shopping at Foodland I may do it spur of the moment and I might not be home.  I don't carry those stupid clothes bags with me when I go out.

there are little nylon bags available that fit in the palm of your hand buy one or two keep them in your pocket problem solved. I really don't understand people like you totally no regard for environment or thinking ahead. 

 

 

I haven't used plastic bags in years, and?
It works very well and makes me feel good too!

I keep plastic bag folded up in my pocket all the time because often even on regular days they're skimpy on the bags and I need fortification. 

 

So I can deal with no bag days but sometimes I put some stuff back on those days. 

 

The box thing is an insult for those taking public transportation. Seems like we should get some baggie points for that. 

 

No I wouldn't push them but on the other hand I'm cynical about the global impact of such measures which sorry to use right wing rhetoric sometimes feel like virtue signaling. OK boomer? 

 

 

 

 

 

7 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

I keep plastic bag folded up in my pocket all the time because often even on regular days they're skimpy on the bags and I need fortification. 

Every one of my backpacks and murses have good quality USA or Siam Department store plastic bag folded into a nanometer sized package and stashed. Sometimes two. For keeping the camera dry.

 

22 minutes ago, 30la said:

I haven't used plastic bags in years, and?
It works very well and makes me feel good too!

well I use them here because:

1. I need garbage bags and hate buying them  and

2. my groceries are delivered. Tops uses plastic bags. Hey look, garbage bags!

23 minutes ago, Victornoir said:

OK, it will not be enough for eradicate the plastics polluting everywhere the landscape of Thailand.

But we have to start well and this measure is going in the right direction. So I'm happy to take my reusable nylon bags and not add to the disaster.

Times are changing. We need to change, and very soon you'll have to get used to bringing your own bags, whether it's reusable fabric bags or your own plastic bags. In the mean time, perhaps Thailand should do like Hong Kong, either bring your own bag or pay extra to get a plastic one. It's only a minor adjustment to our lives and one that needs to be done. Most of the grocery stores sell the nylon/cloth bags for very little money. Buy a few, in the near future it will be how everyone brings their purchases home.

Edited November 22, 20196 yr by gjoo888

I've just found another obnoxious <deleted> to add to my 'ignore list'.

Edited November 22, 20196 yr by Moonlover

I need the plastic bags as bin liners and to wrap meat in the freezer

23 minutes ago, gjoo888 said:

Times are changing. We need to change, and very soon you'll have to get used to bringing your own bags, whether it's reusable fabric bags or your own plastic bags. In the mean time, perhaps Thailand should do like Hong Kong, either bring your own bag or pay extra to get a plastic one. It's only a minor adjustment to our lives and one that needs to be done. Most of the grocery stores sell the nylon/cloth bags for very little money. Buy a few, in the near future it will be how everyone brings their purchases home.

Yes! Paying the extra ( I think 2/3 baht ) will educate Thais and stubborn old foreigners learn what day is Tuesday super fast!  Imagine leaving your cut pastrami among other things for 6 or 7 bags x 2/3 baht!!  The gas and effort it takes to leave everything and then waste gas, time etc to go to another supermarket based on being a dink is insane. If you have a car throw 10/20 bags in it now if motor bike there are storage places too. If by backpack 4 or so plastic bags weigh nothing. Can you believe this guys son was with him! Jeez

On a side note. This guys question is not a yes/no answer. Read your question OP you are so riled up! 

 

Edited November 22, 20196 yr by alex8912