The supermarket has introduced the new charge this week, which is a decision that has already sparked some backlash, with one customer labelling the price hike as ‘a joke’
Tesco shoppers will now have to dig a bit deeper into their pockets to purchase one of the supermarket’s ‘bags for life’, a decision that has already sparked some backlash, with one customer labelling the price hike as ‘a joke’. The retail behemoth has bumped up the cost of its reusable bags by 10p, bringing the new price tag to 40p.
However, not everyone is kicking up a fuss about the change, which came into effect on Wednesday. Some customers shrugged it off, pointing out that bringing your own bags when doing the weekly shop isn’t exactly a hardship.
For many, it’s become second nature since the introduction of carrier bag charges in most supermarkets, aimed at curbing plastic waste.
And Tesco hasn’t stopped there. As reported by The Express, the supermarket giant phased out 5p disposable plastic bags across all its stores in 2017, replacing them with reusable bags. Initially priced at 10p and made from 94% recycled plastic, these bags have seen a few price changes over the years, reports Chronicle Live.
The bags, now crafted entirely from recycled plastic, had previously been priced at 30p before this latest increase was rolled out across all stores.
This move is part of a broader effort to tackle plastic waste, following the staggering number of single-use bags handed out to customers each year, many of which ended up in landfill, wreaking havoc on the ecosystem.
It’s now the norm to fork out for bags at major supermarkets, so many shoppers have adapted by bringing their own. Among those expressing their annoyance over Tesco’s price change was a customer who highlighted it on the Food Finds UK Official Facebook group just before the hike.
One disgruntled shopper exclaimed: “What a joke I remember when they were free, and then for 5p”, according to The Sun. Another insisted they should be “no more than 5p”.
Some pointed out that reusable bags are already priced higher in other supermarkets. Sainsbury’s also bumped up the price of its bag to 40p earlier this month, as reported by The Grocer.
However, not everyone is bothered by the increase, with one person stating: “People are complaining. Just take your own bags. That was the whole purpose of bag charges: to encourage people to use reusable bags.”
Another offered: “Simple solution pay or make more effort to take your own. Really not difficult.”
A third has been bringing their own bags for over two decades, adding: “If you keep using your own bags, it just becomes second nature.”
A Tesco spokesperson said: “We encourage customers to bring shopping bags with them to cut down on plastic, but we sell a wide range of reusable bags in case they are needed. Our cheapest Bags for Life cost 40p and are made of 100% recycled plastic.”
These bags “can be reused many times, and if they become worn out can be replaced for free at our customer service desks and recycled again”, the spokesperson further added.
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