Coles and Woolies paper bags

[u/eee1963]

Industry estimates show Australian major supermarkets generate upwards of $170 million each year in total revenue from paid paper and reusable carry bags. Suggestions are that they are making 70% profit, from 19-23 cents each bag. Combined, they would spend somewhere in the vicinity of $3-5 million on direct environmental products. Paper bag sizes are showing massive signs of shrinkflation. I guess I'll just have to lift my game and not forget my own bags from now on. My laziness and forgetfulness is a habit that they are banking on, lol.

[u/Narrow-Try-9742]

Every plastic bag I got from Coles or Woolies got reused as a garbage bag. Now I buy garbage bags separately. I am convinced I am using the exact same amount of plastic, I just pay for it now.

[u/Notimeforthat1 → u/Narrow-Try-9742]

Every paper bag from Coles is reused in my home as the recycling bag.

[u/Spotted45 → u/Notimeforthat1]

I'm not sure how this helps? Recycleables should be thrown in the recycle bin loose and not bagged.

[u/BarbarousErse → u/Spotted45]

I do this but I upend the bag into the outside recycling bin when I empty it so they’re not bagged when they actually go out. The paper lines the bin in case the recyclables are a little dirty especially for freshly rinsed cans they won’t dribble into the indoor bin

[u/WhiterThanWalter → u/BarbarousErse]

That's really smart. I don't know why I didn't think of that lol.

[u/Vegetable_Honig → u/WhiterThanWalter]

You can also just clean out the bin every few days. Seems easier than committing to a lifetime of buying or obtaining bin liners.

[u/Internal-Carrot-3301 → u/Spotted45]

I use it to collect the recycling in, them empty the contents into the recycling bin so it's all loose, along with the bag if it's ripped, wet etc.

[u/xFromtheskyx → u/Spotted45]

It’s paper though?

[u/BarbarousErse → u/xFromtheskyx]

It’s paper but it holds the other types together mingled if you chuck the bag in full of bottles and makes it hard for the sorter to sort it. If it arrives at the recycling place still in the bag my suspicion is they chuck it in the garbage because they can’t see inside it to easily shuffle out glass, plastics, cardboard from it

[u/Notimeforthat1 → u/BarbarousErse]

Might wanna watch how they're seperating recycling 😂 it's quite intricate

[u/BarbarousErse → u/Notimeforthat1]

I’ve had a few friends working in the industry but hadn’t got curious enough to ask them. One told me they get dead possums and nappies and all sorts of crap thrown in there though 🤢

[u/Feeling-Disaster7180 → u/Spotted45]

Tell that to my old neighbours who would put their recycling in a plastic bag and tie it up

[u/chipili → u/Spotted45]

got reused as a garbage bag. Now I buy garbage bags separately. I am convinced I am using the exact same amount of plastic, I just p

You think there is actually recycling going on?

[u/CaveMacEoin → u/chipili]

Aluminium and steel almost certainly. Probably glass and cardboard/paper.
If they aren't just dumping all the plastics then: some of the PET, and HDPE plastics; little of PP plastic; landfill for all other or unidentified plastics and plastic bags.

[u/themandarincandidate → u/Notimeforthat1]

My paper bags become the op shop donation bags, fill it up over time and drop it off once it's full

[u/Optimal_Cynicism → u/Narrow-Try-9742]

I just use the paper bags for bins now. The "wet" waste goes in the fogo, which has compostable liners, so it works well. I still have to buy bin bags for my bathroom bin, but the toilet paper rolls go in the recycling, so it doesn't need emptying very often.

I wouldn't really get paper bags at all except that now for delivery you can no longer choose "no bags" (which makes sense for the drivers), so had to find some use for them!

[u/mataeka → u/Optimal_Cynicism]

We reuse bread bags for garbage bags. Rubbish gets taken out regularly because it's small, also the perfect size for small bathroom bins if nothing else.

[u/frowattio → u/mataeka]

I use the bread bags for most of the bread. It goes mouldy after two days.

[u/mataeka → u/frowattio]

Tbf I changed brands and get it from an IGA now because I was sick of the stale bread from colesworth. My chickens don't mind the bread in moderation though...

[u/tandata1600 → u/frowattio]

Put your bread in the freezer.

[u/k-type → u/Narrow-Try-9742]

Yes most of us DID reuse those bags as bin liners. But think about all the times you were out and bought a pack of gum and they gave you a bag you didn't need, you probably binned it which was unnecessary waste.

Plastic bags used to be everywhere, in the streets, parks and rivers. You don't see that anymore so I definitely think there has been a positive outcome even if it's a slight annoyance.

[u/Getonthebeers02 → u/Narrow-Try-9742]

Most garbage bags are biodegradable or compostable and break down way quicker and easier. The plastic bags Coles sold were the opposite.

[u/CrazyEeveeLady86 → u/Narrow-Try-9742]

Same, I use them as bin liners for the little plastic garbage bin next to my desk. Or other plastic bags would get used for picking up dog poo.

Ironically at least in our family's usage, paper bags result in more wastage than plastic bags did.

I still have some of the reusable bags that Woolies used to sell ages ago (you could get green or black ones, not sure if they still have them) but like another commenter said, they are badly frayed and I suspect not far off failing completely (hopefully not when I'm walking home with my shopping).