As managing editor of Ikea retail stores are joining the effort to reduce plastic bag use. The company announced today that, starting March 15, it no longer will offer customers free plastic bags. Regular bags will cost 5 cents, and Ikea's large reusable blue bags will cost 59 cents. Proceeds will go to American Forests, a conservation organization.
The Conshohocken, Pa.-based U.S retailer, which is owned by Swedish company Inter Ikea Systems BV, said its goal is to completely eliminate plastic bag use in all of its stores.
Ikea projects that the number of plastic bags used by their U.S. customers will be reduced by at least 50 percent from 70 million to 35 million in the first year. This program was launched in IKEA stores in the [United Kingdom] in late Spring 2006, and reduction has been a monumental 95 percent. Also, blue bag purchases were increased, since IKEA encouraged usage for a multitude of purposes.
Paying for plastic bags definitely will cut their use. I was at a grocery store yesterday that charges a nickel per bag, and it's amazing how creative consumers can be to save a bit of money.
Comments (4)
In the 1980s I lived for seven years in London, England, where the practice of charging for bags already was commonplace. One quickly learns to stash a few spare bags in your pocket or in your car, or to substitute a strong, reusable, handled sack.
So I personally have no problem with the concept of groceries and retail stores charging for carry-out bags. It's a minor inconvenience at first, but consumers (usually after a lot of initial grousing and screams about "new taxes") have shown they quickly can adapt. The end result is that one thinks twice before taking a disposable item and adding it to the waste stream.
Posted by Robert Grace | February 20, 2007 10:43 AM
Posted on February 20, 2007 10:43
I must work in Europe from time to time where this is common, and if I go to a store to purchase something, then I realize I will need to purchase a bag, I usually ask myself what items must I have as opposed to items that I could do without.
Maybe this will lead Americans to spend less and consider if it is a must have or a nice to have when they attempt to follow the "Old World"
ways.
Posted by P. Bertok | February 26, 2007 7:58 AM
Posted on February 26, 2007 07:58
WHAT IS GOING ON! I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY PEOPLE ON WELFARE AND/OR FOOD STAMPS WOULD BE EXCEMPT FROM PAYING FOR PLASTIC BAGS. WHY CAN'T THEY BRING THERE OWN LIKE ANYONE ELSE NEEDING TO SAVE MONEY?
Posted by Debi | April 15, 2009 2:30 AM
Posted on April 15, 2009 02:30
@ P. Bertok
Follow the "Old World?" European economies are tied to U.S. consumption, or otherwise their markets wouldn't be in the dumps, too. So, the US following the old world would akin be to a dog chasing it's tail. Reducing single-use bags by charging for them is an idea the should stand on it's own merits -- not simply, "Hey it works in Europe!"
@ R. Grace
I agree. Single use bags, whether plastic or paper, are an incredible burden on waste management and litter prevention. I like the idea of the plastic re-usable sacks I've started seeing at the Wal-Marts in the area.
@ Debi
I assume that welfare/foodstamps programs would have to raise the amount paid out to compensate for the increased cost -or- give the bags away for free.
However, I agree that "Big Welfare" isn't helping people by just handing them all the answers. Being thrifty is a learned skill, and if it's not your money, why bother to worry about how you spend it? Therefore, not having to make even the slightest effort to save money by simply re-using the bags, isn't starting a person down a path to intelligent spending.
(Oh, please check your caps-lock. That is akin to shouting in blog comments, and no-one likes to be shouted at :) )
Posted by the1jeffy | April 20, 2009 8:57 AM
Posted on April 20, 2009 08:57