The shopping experience today is getting greedier on the alter of the green environment. I take offense to this change in service. The #1 perpetrator is the grocery store. Not long ago, it used to be that you paid your money and the check out person and/or "bag boy" would pack your groceries into multiple paper or plastic bags - your choice.
NOW they charge you 5¢ per plastic bag (no paper available) AND you now have to scramble and pack them yourself before the next person's groceries starting piling up. They say it is for a greener planet - I say it's greed - pure and simple.
5¢ bags deliver a new revenue stream where before it was a cost of doing business, (but still rolled into the end price). Due to their volumes, those bags cost them a fraction of a cent each, so at 5¢ that's quite a money maker across the entire chain.
This evening I was at a (Swiss-Chalet) rib and chicken chain take-out where they put on the counter multiple packages. Now they asked the patron if they wanted a plastic bag? People just looked at the girl with a puzzled look - because if they say no, how does the restaurant honestly expect them to cart the food home without dropping everything? I say just roll the 5¢ into the price. Don't rub it into our face using the green excuse. The reality is you love this new revenue. Greed - pure and simple!
With Swiss Chalet, if they really cared about the environment, then why are ALL of their containers plastic, their cutlery is plastic and their now 5¢ bags are plastic.
I think all these greedy stores would look more sincere if they offered a paper bag for free as an additional option. But of course there's no money in that. Why they tossed out service with the bag is a black spot on their brand and that's a shame.
