Got Yours? I Got Mine!

The supermarkets which encourage bringing reusable shopping bags, also called eco bags in recent years and Japan same, too. It is kind of environmental movement to decrease using plastic bags because they are consuming too much and it also makes them trash or CO2 increase. Therefore, some local governments and supermarkets officially regulate that plastics bags cost money. Reusable shopping bags are also popular as souvenir, novelty, or prize.

(Photo by Yuko)

Supermarkets’ Original Shopping Bags

Some supermarkets also sell their original reusable shopping bags. For example, one of major supermarkets Seiyu sells its parent company Walmart’s shopping bags. The bags are basically made by nonwoven fabric and some of them have a variety of design and size. Moreover, cooling shopping bags are also available and they are convenience when you buy food which is need to be refrigerated and frozen foods. You are supposed to check their features well and choose your favorite one.

(Reference: Zaikei shimbun)

Get the Discount or Buy Plastic Bags

Some supermarkets also discount your purchase when you have shopping bags or plastic bags fee is added if you forget them. It is mainly applied at food section and the cashier keeps the card below for customers which don’t need plastic bags because they have shopping bags. You put the card on your shopping basket for the use in a store before your purchase is settled. If you don’t do or forget doing it, the store staff might add plastic bags fee. However, if the card is out of there, you may also tell the staff that you have shopping bags. The card doesn’t keep at other sections, however, you can get the discount at cashier instead of being added the fee when you have shopping bags.

(Reference: The City of Matsudo)

But Not to Change Your Bag Too Often

Many supermarkets sell several kinds of reusable shopping bags. The variation includes local design if they expand their business nationwide. They mostly have cool design and you might want to collect lots of bags whenever you visit several locations of the same supermarkets or you might think you will get the same shopping bags as celebrities you like. However, you might get your priorities wrong if you do the things because it is meaningless to have many reusable bags because it is no longer environmental movement. Moreover, some people think reusable shopping bags are the way to make more money because bunch of bags are sold on some internet shopping sites and auction sites. Also reusable shopping bags have another problem – chance of shoplifting. However, it is good to use different shopping bags as needed. Not to change your shopping bags too often and be more sensitive to ecology.

(Reference: CBS News)

Yuko

Japan