Single-use plastic checkout bags are now a thing of the past at grocery stores businesses in Greater Saint John. Let me begin by stating that I prefer reusable bags for groceries. They are easier to handle and items stack better in these bags. Now that it is out of the way I was surprised when the campaign stated a few years ago to eliminate plastic grocery bags. The reason given they are single use plastic that add to the landfills and they blow around littering our streets and parks, beaches etc.
So here’s what sours my milk on this issue. We are eliminating the one plastic found in stores that can actually be recycled, while the hard plastic clamshells found in the bakery and deli counters remain. Plastic bags are also found in the produce department and plastic will also be allowed when selling flowers. For a lot of people these are not single use bags. Many people use them as garbage bags in the kitchen and bathroom or using the bag to carry a pot luck to a dinner or using them when cleaning out the litter box etc.
The question is who really benefits from the elimination of plastic grocery bags? the large grocery chains, they save thousands of dollars by not having to buy the bags and then they can make more money selling you their reusable bags. Some stores will offer the classic brown bag but you’ll pay for that as well,(remember when paper bags were free?)
