It's the end of the world as we know it (no paper bags!)

[batmoody]

So the other day we ran out of paper bags. OMG! Our policy is that we automatically bag in plastic bags unless the customer specifically asks for paper bags, so for the most part everyone would get plastic anyways.

Of course there are those who hate plastic and have to have paper and those were the worst people ever! It was comical how grown adults behaved when they were told we were out of paper bags.

One lady was shouting "Well, that makes me not want to shop here! THAT REALLY MAKES ME NOT WANT TO SHOP HERE!"

Seriously? Really?
If she woulda been in my line I would have asked her if she would like me to put her groceries back for her.

Another couple went off on one of our cashiers when he told them that we were out of paper, he started bagging in plastic, "Don't you give me plastic bags! I DONT WANT THOSE PLASTIC BAGS! All they do is roll around all over and my stuff ends up all over my car!" So the cashier scans the groceries and starts to places them back into the cart, loose and unbagged. Try keeping them contained now morons.

I hate that excuse for not liking plastic bags,. I always get plastic and I don't have that issue. I don't get it. Thousands of pepple get plastic a day and don't have issues. I load my car with the bags tightly and I don't drive like a maniac I guess. I always end up ripping the paper bags if anything.

Another guy yelled at another cashier, "We've been coming here since you were in junior high! How do you run out of paper bags!?!"

WTF? What does that have to do with anything?


So many more threatened to never come back. More than a few kept demanding "How do you run out of paper bags!?!" It was surreal. We had more bags in finally later that day but the tantrems these people were throwing was just amazing.

[Catwoman2965]

Oh please....i don't like them either, but I found a solution - I bring my own reuseable bags! and when I forget my own, if plastic is all that's available, I'll just loosely tie each one shut, so the stuff won't go all over my trunk!

[emax4]

Another couple went off on one of our cashiers when he told them that we were out of paper, he started bagging in plastic, "Don't you give me plastic bags! I DONT WANT THOSE PLASTIC BAGS! All they do is roll around all over and my stuff ends up all over my car!" So the cashier scans the groceries and starts to places them back into the cart, loose and unbagged. Try keeping them contained now morons.

You did the right thing.

We used to have a program that rewarded customers with a penny or nickel off of their purchase for every bag they brought in (and used). If stores adopted this plan, there would be less people blaming the store for lack of bags and more taking responsibility. At least I like to think that...

[Javarod]

One thing i'd like to see stores take from Aldi's is making boxes available to the customers (i also love their go over there and bag your own stuff rule, but somehow i doubt that'd fly). Harder to carry, but more durable, and it'll certainly keep your stuff from rolling around or getting banged up.

[LingualMonkey]

Not only that, but the reusable bags from Aldi's are inexpensive and monstrously huge. I can get all of my groceries for a family of four for a week in two of them.

Seriously, I prefer paper bags--I use them as temporary containers for recyclables in my kitchen--but if I don't get them, I use my own or plastic. No big deal.

[Stormraven]

I generally prefer paper - mostly because I then reuse them as waste paper 'cans' at my desk - but if plastic is all they have, that's all they have.

[jjc927]

I definitely can relate to this. When we occasionally run out of paper bags we always get these kind of comments.

[chikenlady]

The stores in my area have not had paper bags in at least 20 years (maybe longer)

[Sonoma]

If I get paper, they get reused as recycling containers as well.

If I get plastic, those work great as bathroom garbage can liners (and they're free, too), or kitty-litter disposal bags. Both paper & plastic have alternate uses, if you look hard enough.

[Merriweather]

Seriously, I prefer paper bags--I use them as temporary containers for recyclables in my kitchen--.

Same here, we have to sort our recyclables, so I keep a paper bag in the pantry floor for cardboard boxes, scrap paper, etc - then it can go straight to the recycle bin, container and all, at the end of the week - much easier than "dumping" a small bin, etc. Plus they get used as "placemats" for messy projects, the granddaughter painting, they occasionally wrap small gifts, etc - very handy to have a few paper bags around..

However, I don't even need the paper bags it would take for all our groceries every time, so I keep re-usable bags in the car for most of my trips, just getting a few paper bags now and then when I'm low.

And much as I'm against all the plastic carrier bags out there in land fills taking decades to break down (some of the newer ones are better, at least), geez, why yell at the poor cashiers and baggers, they don't order the darn things, isn't their fault if they run out.

And if you can find that psychic these SC's seem to think must be on call to do the ordering, the one who can always perfectly predict exactly how many of any given item will be needed for any future period, be sure to send him by my house, I'd like to talk to him about some horses listed for next weeks race......

[BookstoreEscapee]

You did the right thing.

We used to have a program that rewarded customers with a penny or nickel off of their purchase for every bag they brought in (and used). If stores adopted this plan, there would be less people blaming the store for lack of bags and more taking responsibility. At least I like to think that...

One of the stores I frequent gives you 2c for reusing regular plastic bags, and 5c for using cloth or other reusable bags.

We used to request paper bags years ago when we used them for newspaper recycling (then they changed the rules and you had to tie them up instead). Also for covering books when we were in school, but back then paper was pretty much standard, anyway.

[Der Cute]

See, with this happening (and knowing that paper bags are on their way in, just not here yet) I'd chat with the super/GM and offer to have the Reusable bags as paper substitutes.

"omg you're out of paper bags???!!!"
"yes, this week. But we can substitute the Reusable bag - the one that costs 99 cents - for free. Annnnd...you can reuse that bag next visit, and get 5cents off your total price"

"hmm. I dunno"
"well, its either Recycle bags, or plastic."
"Ok"

Then, once the papers are in, you double order the Recyclable bags back in.

Cutenoob

[ShinyGreenApple]

I'm so glad I don't work at a store that has paper anymore, the few months I did was a nightmare, even when I had a bagger. It just took so much longer. The only thing we have at my Volde-Mart now are the little Blue Bunny paper bags for cold items. Everything else goes into plastic, reusable bags that the customer brings or purchases, or nothing at all. I'm pleasantly surprised at the number of people who simply don't want a lot of bags for their stuff.

[Skeksin]

Another guy yelled at another cashier, "We've been coming here since you were in junior high! How do you run out of paper bags!?!"

The store was built with only a 10 year supply. We just ran out. We are in the process of building a new store so we can have more paper bags....

[alowlypotato]

More than a few kept demanding "How do you run out of paper bags!?!"

Well, see, there's a finite supply of them, and sometimes that supply is exhausted? Baaah!

The funny thing is that people use that line in any place where any item of any sort has run out. It's like they think stores pull all of their supplies out of Mary Poppins' handbag.