Large Department Store Refuses to Give Free Bag

[recom273]

20 minutes ago, FolkGuitar said:

... and perhaps done their socially-responsible part to help save the planet. Sure, it's a small part. But that's all it takes... each of us doing our own small part. Unfortunately, these days we seem to need laws to make us do our small part. It's no major inconvenience for us all to follow this law.

Pain in the a$$? Perhaps. But have you been to the beach lately? Gone swimming with all the plastic trash in the water? This photo is from the Caribbean... the pristine blue waters so many used to flock to. These floating plastic islands are found in every ocean today, some of the miles wide. As a SCUBA diver, I say it sucks. As a concerned citizen of this planet, I say it's criminal.

He's after a reusable fabric bag.

 

The guy wants a solution, doesnt have to be a bag. If the manager cares about climate change, then he could get someone to walk the bottles home for the guy. No diesel would be used, nothing would be thrown in the ocean, no forests would be depleted, no emissions from a taxi.

 

This was the discussion that I had with the stationary shop owner I mentioned, this was way before government legislation regarding plastic bags - I asked why she no longer was giving home made paper bags which she made from used photocopy paper - her reply was that everything needs to come from somewhere, everything is a drain on the planet, we all have pockets and hands, lets use them. I can respect this woman, I can get behind her thinking - the manager in this case had no reasoning other than what he thought was correct at the time.

[dingdongrb]

57 minutes ago, FolkGuitar said:

Thai law says no more free disposable bags. Not the shop... but Thai law.  Why do you feel that you should not be subject to that law?

Citing Thai law is as ridiculous as crying over a 4 THB plastic bag.

[kwak250]

This is where you might here the "Farang* name used in a not so friendly way.

 

Save 4 baht being a drama queen 

 

Lets be honest if any other foreigner was behind you in the queue they would probably say what a nob

[Jingthing]

21 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

Good heavens, a sensible post.

But this customer wasn't sensible and the store was even less sensible.

 

It was a situation.

 

The store failed to use common sense.

[JensenZ]

9 hours ago, Mac Mickmanus said:

Where should the threshold be ?

How much would you be required to spend to get free plastic bags ?

Also, people who want free plastic bags are not usually the kind of customers that shops really want 

150 baht as they do in 7/11 stores. 1.50 for the bag if you're under.... and a heads-up for 7/11 bags - they are the strongest bags I have ever come across. They last months. I use them for all my shopping until they break, then get free replacements.

Edited April 23, 2022 by JensenZ

[toofarnorth]

10 hours ago, Chris.B said:

8000-9000 baht for 3 bottles of booze? 

Exactly what I was thinking ............and from a grocery store.

As for me I go out with a Man bag. It holds my money ,my bike keys , a fine variety of masks for all occasions and a rolled up plastic bag.  The cashier packs items in the bag , same bag every time.

[DUNROAMIN]

Boo Hoo, get over it, the world is trying to get rid of plastic bags. Take a reuseable bag next time, suke.????

[richard_smith237]

So many posters are being deliberately obtuse and think this is about 4 baht. 

Its not about 4 baht, its about poor / clumsy service. 

 

Personally, I just would have paid 4 baht, but I understand the Ops point exactly. 

These little things can be irritating and I understand those who would get wound up, not at the 4 baht but at the clumsy manner in which this was handled. 

 

The store may have a policy that they can’t give out plastic bags. Thats fair enough. 

But offer an alternative - why should a customer spend 9000 baht and still have to pay to be able to carry the items he’s purchased ???

 

And to those saying carry your own bags with you. Don’t be stupid... Do you want to carry around a shopping bag all day, just in case you go shopping !!! (dumb responses). 

 

The bag thing used to happen in Bangkok a few years back. 

I recall my wife telling a story after returning from Villa when the plastic bag ban came into effect. 

 

My Wife was behind a foreigner at check-out who had a trolley load.

The staff ran the items through the checkout, and the foreigner asked where the bags were. 

Cannot !!!... The store had changed its policy without letting customers know. 

Fortunately, for the foreigner, he hadn’t paid yet. Unable to carry his items he simply left them there on the check out and walked out of the store. 

My Wife, also unable to carry her items, asked the staff if they don’t have plastic bags, what do they have?...  my wife also walked out of the store. 

 

Since then, Villa have cleaned up their mess and they offer ‘fabric bags’ with a minimum spend (500 baht I think).

 

AND... this is the solution - providing fabric bags with a mimimim spend. Its a no-brainer and plastic bags for 1 baht (its a no brainier - yes it means plastic is still in use, but it cuts down the amount). 

 

Lets face it... the consumer is being hit, but there is so much plastic in all the packaging of items - why not tackle that too? why only downstream right at the point of sale >?>?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[BumGun]

Well, what a wild ride this thread was ????

[Chris.B]

10 hours ago, Jingthing said:

Why not?

The Op must be a wealthy man to spend that on booze. 

 

I can get 3 bottles of Beer Chang for 155 baht.

 

[toofarnorth]

1 hour ago, KhunLA said:

Since the 'war on plastic', who actually expects free bags ?  I certainly don't, though usually do receive.  Always have a bag with me if shopping, or simply wheel purchases out to the car & bag there.

 

Spot on.  

[Lacessit]

5 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

So many posters are being deliberately obtuse and think this is about 4 baht. 

Its not about 4 baht, its about poor / clumsy service. 

 

Personally, I just would have paid 4 baht, but I understand the Ops point exactly. 

These little things can be irritating and I understand those who would get wound up, not at the 4 baht but at the clumsy manner in which this was handled. 

 

The store may have a policy that they can’t give out plastic bags. Thats fair enough. 

But offer an alternative - why should a customer spend 9000 baht and still have to pay to be able to carry the items he’s purchased ???

 

And to those saying carry your own bags with you. Don’t be stupid... Do you want to carry around a shopping bag all day, just in case you go shopping !!! (dumb responses). 

 

The bag thing used to happen in Bangkok a few years back. 

I recall my wife telling a story after returning from Villa when the plastic bag ban came into effect. 

 

My Wife was behind a foreigner at check-out who had a trolley load.

The staff ran the items through the checkout, and the foreigner asked where the bags were. 

Cannot !!!... The store had changed its policy without letting customers know. 

Fortunately, for the foreigner, he hadn’t paid yet. Unable to carry his items he simply left them there on the check out and walked out of the store. 

My Wife, also unable to carry her items, asked the staff if they don’t have plastic bags, what do they have?...  my wife also walked out of the store. 

 

Since then, Villa have cleaned up their mess and they offer ‘fabric bags’ with a minimum spend (500 baht I think).

 

AND... this is the solution - providing fabric bags with a mimimim spend. Its a no-brainer and plastic bags for 1 baht (its a no brainier - yes it means plastic is still in use, but it cuts down the amount). 

 

Lets face it... the consumer is being hit, but there is so much plastic in all the packaging of items - why not tackle that too? why only downstream right at the point of sale >?>?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have noticed the most lengthy posts come from those attempting to justify the most trivial.

[richard_smith237]

1 hour ago, KhunLA said:

Since the 'war on plastic', who actually expects free bags ?  I certainly don't, though usually do receive.  Always have a bag with me if shopping, or simply wheel purchases out to the car & bag there.

 

Agree...  do away with all plastic bags, but provide a viable alternate. 

 

Paper bags for most items. And the reusable cloth/fabric bags with a minimum spend of a heavy item like glass bottles.

 

On the plastics issue: There is an overwhelming degree of hypocrisy - There has been no change in the amount of plastic used other than at the consumer end with plastic bags.

There is still so much packaging of ‘most’ items in plastic. 

 

And.... Covid... I’ve never seen so much unnecessary use of plastic since the onset of Covid-19 - everything is wrapped in plastic now (and the risk of fomite transmission is extremely low).

 

 

So... yes we can all do our bit. But these issues amplify the stupidity of it all when a basic level of discretion can’t be applied. 

[richard_smith237]

7 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

I have noticed the most lengthy posts come from those attempting to justify the most trivial.

Apologies if you struggle with more than a couple of lines... 

[JensenZ]

14 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

Fortunately, for the foreigner, he hadn’t paid yet. Unable to carry his items he simply left them there on the check out and walked out of the store. 

My Wife, also unable to carry her items, asked the staff if they don’t have plastic bags, what do they have?...  my wife also walked out of the store. 

This is folly from the early days. Every store has plastic bags you can purchase for a few baht. Faced with the same problem back then I too would have walked out. They probably learnt their lesson quickly.

[KhunLA]

10 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

Agree...  do away with all plastic bags, but provide a viable alternate. 

 

Paper bags for most items. 

Don't agree with doing away with plastic bags.  People & govts are the problem, not the bags.  Charging to motivate people to buy reusable bag is good.

 

And paper alternative has got to be the worst eco-friendly alternative.  When is cutting down trees ever a good thing.  And no, you can't replace fast enough.  IMHO  So not much of an argument.

[Lacessit]

10 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

Apologies if you struggle with more than a couple of lines... 

I am a speed reader, but I do struggle more with reading garbage than cogent argument.

[FolkGuitar]

48 minutes ago, recom273 said:

... If the manager cares about climate change,

 

Perhaps the manager cares about Thai law...  Some people do.

But it is true that the manager could have handled this better, without resorting to plastic. For a 9,000 Baht sale of three bottles, he could have offered a box. All the stores have them. If he was a regular customer, he could have comped him a reusable bag, and written it off.  They all have fiber bags available for 20-30 baht. But the OP was demanding the store break the law and give him a free bag, too much a Cheap Charlie to buy a 30-Baht reusable bag.

[Liverpool Lou]

1 hour ago, LarrySR said:

The manager could easily have paid the 4BT out of his pocket 

Yes, but why should he have done that, why shouldn't the customer pay for the bag just as every other customer, many spending more than him, has to?  

 

I clipped your bizarre assertion that every Thai manager is robbing his employer.

[Liverpool Lou]

13 hours ago, Banana7 said:

The large department store probably lost 1,000 baht or more in profit over a bag, which probably cost them 2 or 3 baht, but they wanted me to buy for 4 baht. They also lost a customer for future booze purchases.

"They also lost a customer for future booze purchases".

Oooooo...they'll probably go bankrupt as a result of losing all your custom!

[Liverpool Lou]

11 hours ago, Led Lolly Yellow Lolly said:

I think you're a really sad, petty little man, so sad and petty you took the time to write out a forum post about the whole sorry little affair.

Hear, hear!    Exactly what I wanted to say but didn't want to risk the wrath of the mods!

[richard_smith237]

4 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

18 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

Agree...  do away with all plastic bags, but provide a viable alternate. 

 

Paper bags for most items. 

Don't agree with doing away with plastic bags.  People & govts are the problem, not the bags.  Charging to motivate people to buy reusable bag is good.

 

And paper alternative has got to be the worst eco-friendly alternative.  When is cutting down trees ever a good thing.  And no, you can't replace fast enough.  IMHO  So not much of an argument.

Before plastic bags they used the paper bags (big brown paper ones).

Perhaps it's easier and cheaper to use plastic bags than paper - recycling of paper bags ?

As you mentioned, perhaps the supply can’t keep up with demand for paper bags if they were to be used.

 

Also as you mentioned, 'charging to motive’... thats a valid point - it would be less hypocritical if there weren’t so much plastic on everything else. 

 

IMO - this is where the store got it wrong. Ask people to bring their own reusable bags, make it a social responsibility thing, but it is also very clumsy of the store not to offer a free reusable option, a minimum spend would seem fair. 

 

 

I bought 12 bottles of wine at villa - should I have expected to have been charged for the cardboard box to carry them in so that next time I’ll remember to bring my own box ?.... 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[richard_smith237]

7 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

1 hour ago, LarrySR said:

The manager could easily have paid the 4BT out of his pocket 

Yes, but why should he have done that, why shouldn't the customer pay for the bag just as every other customer, many spending more than him, has to?  

Of course the manager ‘shouldn’t’ have paid the 4 baht.... but this is the clumsy situation created with a lack of customer service.... The easy solution is a free re-usable bag with a minimum spend.

 

That the store didn’t implement this highlights they have no consideration for the customer. 

 

 

[Liverpool Lou]

10 hours ago, Jingthing said:

10 hours ago, Mac Mickmanus said:

You did say that because he made a large expensive purchase, then he should have been given free bags 

Disingenuous bait ignored.

Huh?  You didn't ignore it, you responded!

[toofarnorth]

39 minutes ago, BumGun said:

Well, what a wild ride this thread was ????

I agree yet not a gold wheel in sight. Plastic bag to Vios in 5.2 secs.

[Liverpool Lou]

10 hours ago, tgw said:

a store should do its best to retain customers that are big spenders.

You think that the OP is a "big spender"?   55555!

[Bangkok Barry]

Spends 8-9000 baht on booze - the OP doesn't know how much - and then refuses to pay 4 baht for a bag. Okay. there are some very weird people that walk among us.

[Liverpool Lou]

9 hours ago, Mac Mickmanus said:

Free single use bags are banned in Thailands major  stores

The store would have got prosecuted if it broke the law by giving single use shopping bags away 

There is no law prohibiting the provision of free plastic bags in Thailand.   A retailers association some time ago did decide that they would recommend their members stopped supplying bags at all but that was soon dropped.

Edited April 23, 2022 by Liverpool Lou

[KhunLA]

Free reusable bags ... nah, profits above anything.

 

Although, 10-30 baht for a damn good reusable bag, and the CCs won't spring for one.  I got more than a few free reusable bags with purchase, and damn nice ones.  Actually have a few too many now.  Enough for extras in car, MB, use for my hobby gear, and in lieu of luggage when out & about.  Actually quite handy, and still have more than I need.

 

And the 2 we bought in early 'bag ban' days, 2+ yrs ago, are still used weekly for Makro runs.

[richard_smith237]

1 minute ago, Bangkok Barry said:

Spends 8-9000 baht on booze - the OP doesn't know how much - and then refuses to pay 4 baht for a bag. Okay. there are some very weird people that walk among us.

Particularly those being obtuse.... Does the exact amount matter at all ????

 

The point of the Op is that he was spending a reasonable sum and the store failed to operated with any sensible level of discretion in favour of the customer. 

 

I do agree, weird people walk among us, they post among us....  particularly misunderstanding the point of a critical post or Op......  Clue: Its not about the 4 baht.