Forgot your reusable bag?

You're probably just like me: you have a bunch of great reusable shopping bags, but you forget to bring them to the store with you....lots..of..times.

And it's easy to see why: You bring them to the grocery store, fill them up, and carry them into the house.  You empty the bags and stash away the bags somewhere at home.   When you need to run to the store again, you're either A: already out and about running errands and don't have the totes or B: just plain forget when you leave home.

When I was visiting Washington, DC a few weeks ago, I stopped by the local Trader Joe's store to pick-up their crazy-good corn salsa.  I bought 10 bottles of the stuff and used my gym bag as a tote bag (I emptied my sneakers and clothes into the backseat of my car).   

As I stood in line, I noticed EVERYBODY had brought reusable tote bags with them.   I never see that.  I usually spot one other person, we look at each other, and then we nod as if we're saying, "cool...you remembered, too!".    But today, it was weird to see nearly every single person have a stash of bags in their carts.

When I checked out my stash of salsa, the clerk handed me a slip of paper.   Turns out, if you bring your own reusable bags to this Trader Joe's store, you could enter to win a cart full of free groceries at the store.  They gave it away every single month and it was only eligible to those who brought their own totes.

Don't you think if every store did this, everyone would remember AND WANT to bring their own bags?  It's sad that it's not good enough to do the right thing for the planet, but hey...I would like free groceries, too! 

Comments

[The Shopping Sherpa]

Cool idea to get people to use their bags.

Other cool idea: hang your fave bag on the inside handle of your front door. Pile the rest of your bags inside the one you like most. Grab and go!

[anony]

i'm in sweden right now and most people bring their own bags every time! it's great and i love the idea. the reason most bring their own bags is because the groceries here charge you for new plastic and paper bags at the checkout-maybe more american groceries should start this

[Krista]

where we used to live in Canada, there was a store that charged something like 5 cents for their plastic bags... that was when i started bringing my own boxes and bags. now i keep a box and several reusable bags in my trunk, so i don't have to think about whether i grabbed them from the house or not.

[Clementine&Mandarin]

Anyway to get people to bring in their own bags is great! Like most people, I try to remember to bring my reusable shopping bag, but I forget often. Usually, i'll go to the grocery store and stuff as much as I can in my pockets ( I have a winter coat with tons of big pockets). If only more stores would get with the reusable bag program, more people would be inclined to use it. Example, my local grocery store, when I'm checking out, they try to bag all my produce into the clear bags, then into the plastic shopping bag, I tell them that I don't need either bags. hand them my reusable bag, they get really annoyed at me.
What?!? Sigh*** I just don't get it! Seriously, the idea of charging for shopping bags, like the other posts from anony and krista, would be a huge incentive for people to start bringing their own bags and for stores to save on overhead costs. It's a win-win situation!

[Alison]

http://www.dailycamera.com/news/2008/jan/22/whole-foods-ditch-plastic/

According to our local paper Whole Foods is getting rid of plastic. And, our local store Vitamin Cottage Natural Grocers gave away cloth tote bags last year for a time if your purchase was over $25. Trader Joes' idea is definitely a good idea to get folks in the habit! I'll have to make that suggestion to Vitamin Cottage!

[sandi @ the whistlestop cafe]

I'm afraid if I carry my old bags into the Piggley Wiggley they'd think I was a bag lady. Good thing I can shop at whole foods as well.
The NEW south!

[Emily]

Two things -

1. That corn salsa is the bomb and

2. Trader Joe's now (or at least my location) also has bottle carrier reusable baggs (for 99 cents - a steal) for beer, wine or what have you.

(and I use the very first commentor's idea of hanging the bags on the front door as soon as I empty them - not exactly attractive but we're all busy people so they're not going to hang there for too long, right?)

[Green Eggs and Planet Matty]

It's not easy to get into a permanent habit, but so worth it once you do. I've taken to storing enough bags in the trunk of my car so that even when I bring groceries into the house and forget to bring the bags back out to the car, there are still a few waiting for the next trip.

How does a reader get in touch with you via email, by the way?

Thanks,
Matty

[Amy]

I love that about Trader Joe's for awhile my store in Cali was giving you a rebate if you brought your own bags. I LOVE TRADER JOE'S. I also love the bag in the pic I have it and use it for everything.

[Rhaya]

Trader Joes here in Indianapolis has been doing that promo for quite some time. I think it is great, but I still think that it would be more effective to charge shoppers for any new bag (as they do in Sweden). My tip for always remembering totes is that as soon as I unpack my groceries, I immediately put my reusable bags back in the car. (Although, if I didn't have an attached garage, I might not do this as routinely as I do now.)

[gina]

love the idea that more and more people are using reusable bags. our Trader's gives away a $25.00 GC every month as well. i think it is so nice that they do that. as soon as we bring the bags into the house and unload them we immediately pop them back in the car like Rhaya does. we don't have an attached garage, but we still do it. if i am out and about and don't happen to have one of my reusable totes, i just tell the cashier that i will carry my items. i can't remember the last time i took a plastic or paper bag. it's a really nice feeling.
as always, thanks danny!!!!!

[TACE]

We do the door thing as well, hang our bags on the door handle so we can't miss them as we're going out. Also the ones I got squish up so small I can jam them in the pockets of my jeans or in my coat pocket when I go in the store. So even if I *think* I'm buying only one or two items and won't need a bag, then I am not stuck. Also my bags are beautiful basic black, I carry them into every store. I like the lack of logos on them so I don't feel strange or like I'm cheating on one store by going into another store say with an Albertson's reusable in a T.J.'s store. hahahaha

[Heather Castles]

Here in Australia they're huge on their "greeen bags" and are phasing out plastic bags entirely by the end of the year! It's pretty normal to bring canvas & cold bags to the grocery store... to help remember we just leave ours in the car after each shop. I've even scored a couple canvas bags that fold up small enough that I can carry them in my handbag... so when I go fun shopping (clothes, etc) I've got bags handy.

[Rachel]

At my mainstream grocery store you get about 5 cents off for each reusable bag you bring in. The store also sells foldable reusable bags at all the check-outs for really cheap. I see lots of people bringing their own bags. Five cents may not be much but at least they are promoting good habits and it's great to see people following through outside of the more "eco-centered" stores!

[Rachel]

At my mainstream grocery store you get about 5 cents off for each reusable bag you bring in. The store also sells foldable reusable bags at all the check-outs for really cheap. I see lots of people bringing their own bags. Five cents may not be much but at least they are promoting good habits and it's great to see people following through outside of the more "eco-centered" stores!

[eleisa]

I don't always use the bags offered but do occasionally so that I have a supply of the thin bags for cleaning out the litter box. I try not to have any more than I need at any given time. I have 3 indoor cats that never go outside. What do others do in this situation? Is there a better alternative?

[Rhaya]

eleisa,

I have an indoor cat as well, and I used to use plastic bags before I realized just how bad they really were. Now I just save any "bag" that is not recyclable (and would be tossed anyways). For example, the bag that lines the cereal box, the plastic sleeve a magazine comes in, an empty pretzel bag... really anything that has an opening on one side and is not recyclable can work!

Rhaya

[Joan Vignocchi]

I work at a Trader Joe's in Santa Barbara, Calif. We have a weekly drawing for a $25 gift card and a new cool bag! All Trader Joe's have drawings now. It costs TJ's 7 cents each for a brown paper bag, less for plastic. So it's worth it to stores to give people incentives to bring their own bags. And TJ's often lowers prices to reflect cost savings. (I know - I hand letter the price signs!)

[Juli]

A bunch of folks are making bags and handing them out to help spread the word against nasty plastic bags. These are a great reason to give your sewing machine a mild workout.

http://www.morsbags.com/

[Carrie]

I am finally in the habit of remembering our bags -- when we are done putting the food away, I fold all the bags into one and hang it on the doorknob to take out the next time. I also keep one small foldup bag in my everyday bag so I'll always have something with me.

Some friends have a rule that if they forget their bags, they have to buy new ones when they're at the store. That's kicked them into remembering them :)

[blackbird]

Kind of makes the Whole Foods incentive of 5 cents seem cheap, doesn't it?

[housemonkey]

i'm a fan of the Chico bag b.c. of the little carabiner- i clip it on to my purse and so it's nearly impossible to forget. if i had a couple, i'd stuff them into the one i had. if you want to give yourself an extra pat on the back, you can get yourself the Greendimes Chico bag: https://www.greendimes.com/buy/1

[greenbizgirl]

the last person to comment beat me to my recommendation. i also LOVE chico bags. They fold up into a small pouch and are so easy to carry around. I keep them in my purse, backpack, car, etc. and never am without - this way i never forget my bags, it's been a long time since i've taken a bag at a store. You can also get them at chicobag.com or greenfeet.

[deborah]

I love Trader Joe's, and they happen to have cute cloth bags, too. I have not tried their salsa, so I'll check that out next time I shop there. By the way, I found some cute reusable bags here -- http://www.freefromplastic.com. I bought a few at my local health food store, and they are just so...ugly. Since I needed more, I got some cuter ones. Maybe if they are prettier, I'll remember to take them with me? lol

[Steph]

I work as a cashier, and I've noticed, that in the two years since I have been doing it, more and more people are conscious about reusing bags. I'd say the majority of them now bring their own bags, even the people who are stopping by on their way home from work. It takes just two seconds to remember to bring them. I try to keep a stash in my car, which seems to work pretty well.