Bring your own bag (BYOB) is catching on all over the UK supermarket world slowly.
By Michael Smith
It must be said, however, that it would appear to be J S Sainsbury Ltd. that have been the leader in this.
For some while already Sainsbury's, one of Britain's leading supermarket chains, and leading definitely as far as environmental and ethical innovations go, has been trying to encourage shoppers to bring their own bags.
Several promotional events have been held where people were given the, though still plastic, “bags for life” FREE and, in addition to those giveaway events Sainsbury's sell a line of inexpensive sturdy reusable shopping bags from cotton and jue, which are all, as far as I can see, of the Fairtrade range, and this can be but commended.
Now, during summer of 2008 and also into autumn, a campaign and scheme was begun, it was in July 2008 when it started, I believe, in which shoppers can earn extra Nectar loyalty card points if they bring their own bags for reuse shopping.
“Take an old bag shopping” is the title of the campaign and with the connotation the term “old bag” has in the colloquial English this is a slogan that is being understood and many people do bring their own bags to the stores.
In order to get the message across even more Sainsbury's main stores have now removed the free carrier bangs from the checkouts. They are no longer visible although they can still be had free if one wanted some.
Now Sainsbury's has also launched a text messaging service for cell phone users – and who does not have at least one cell phone in the UK – to help shoppers remember to bring their own bags by sending them a text message once a week on the day that they generally go shopping to remind them to bring their bags. This FREE service will run until December 31, 2008 and is intended to get people into the habit of taking their own bags shopping.
With some forethought it is not difficult to ensure that you take your old bags shopping.
Personally, as I go shopping either by bicycle or on foot and bus (as I do not drive a motor vehicle) I use a Bergen backpack when going to the stores and that one has always a bag with a number of, about six to eight, other shopping bags in them. This way, as I always use that backpack, I cannot forget my other bags.
Once I get home from shopping and have offloaded, so to speak, my cargo and emptied those bags, they are put back into the pack and are thus ready for the next trip.
I also have a small rucksack that I use on other occasions and that one has a number of reusable cotton tote bags in it should I want to get something from the stores somewhere, thus not needing to take a plastic carrier.
BYOB is not difficult and it can easily become a habit, as it most certainly should.
One can but commend Sainsbury's for their actions and for leading the field in this effort by a great length.
© M Smith (Veshengro), October 2008
<>
BYOB at Sainsbury's
