Plastic bags on their way out

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Gaybutton
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Re: Plastic bags on their way out

Post by Gaybutton »

Today, December 31, is the last day many stores and shops will provide plastic bags. Most of these stores are selling very inexpensive reusable shopping bags of various sizes. Get a small one, fold it up, and just keep in in a pocket or something in case you decide to buy anything and need a bag.

I've also seen some grocery stores putting out their empty cardboard boxes for people who still don't know about this. At least they're providing a means of carrying your purchases home - for the time being.

I imagine people arriving in Thailand from other countries are going to have a little surprise when they go shopping. Oh well, I'm sure we will all manage to find ways to adapt.
Jun

Re: Plastic bags on their way out

Post by Jun »

Having had a mandatory charge for bags in the UK for several years, one of the biggest challenges is remembering to take a shopping bag. The odds can be improved slightly by leaving a few in the boot of the car, but this is far from idiot proof.

Also, the policy will not save the planet in 2020. Bigger changes are needed.
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Re: Plastic bags on their way out

Post by gerefan »

At least if we forget to take a bag shopping in the UK we can buy one at the checkout for next to nothing.
Will we be able to do that in Thailand?
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Re: Plastic bags on their way out

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gerefan wrote: Tue Dec 31, 2019 5:21 pm Will we be able to do that in Thailand?
We're already able to do that.
Gaybutton wrote: Tue Dec 31, 2019 3:23 pm Most of these stores are selling very inexpensive reusable shopping bags of various sizes.
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Re: Plastic bags on their way out

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Today is the first day of the ban on single use plastic bags at 75 popular retailers in Thailand

By Adam Judd

January 1, 2020

Starting today, 75 department stores, convenience stores and other shops with more than 24,500 branches nationwide have agreed to stop giving away single use plastic bags and from today they will stop giving these bags away for free. This includes some of the biggest players such as Big C, 7-11 and Family Mart.

As well as the “Every Day Say No to Plastic Bags” campaign, the Pollution Control Department (PCD) has introduced a 20 year-action plan on plastic waste management from 2018-2037, which includes measures to stop Thais using seven plastic items and types.

A ban on plastic straws and cups is due due to take effect next year as well according to the Thai Government.

Locally, there is concern by many in Pattaya that the retailers who have committed to the stop plastic campaign may not be completely ready for the change. Some retailers will be providing plastic bags for a small fee, some have switched to paper bags and many offer reusuable bags.

There is concern from some franchise owners of the larger chain stores that customers may buy less items and spend less if they are not given a reasonable alternative to plastic bags.

It remains to be seen how successful the program will be but day one officially launches today to start off 2020.

https://thepattayanews.com/2020/01/01/t ... -thailand/
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Re: Plastic bags on their way out

Post by Bangkokian »

gerefan wrote: Tue Dec 31, 2019 5:21 pm At least if we forget to take a bag shopping in the UK we can buy one at the checkout for next to nothing.
Will we be able to do that in Thailand?
Yes, 7-11 have very lightweight bags that fold to nothing for 3 Baht.
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Re: Plastic bags on their way out

Post by Bangkokian »

Amusing to see photos in the local press of customers loading their shopping into buckets or wheelbarrows.
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Re: Plastic bags on their way out

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Let's see - we can send man to the moon. We can send successful rovers to Mars. We can build telescopes that can see back to the beginning of time. We're close to the technology that can make self-driving cars.

But we can't come up with biodegradable, renewable resource shopping bags? Ok . . .

Part of the article points out that non-Thai and non-English speakers are not aware of the no plastic bags policy and are bitterly complaining. Hasn't it occurred to anyone to provide that information on flights to Thailand or upon arrival at the airports - maybe even hand out reusable shopping bags at the airports?

Part of the article also says, "it is impractical to expect tourists that are out on the beach all day or clubbing in nightlife hotspots all night to carry a reusable bags with them." It is? May I ask why? What's the hard part about folding and placing one of these bags in a pocket or purse?

If Thailand is putting this policy in place, then they need to make sure people are informed and they need to stick to the policy. What's going to happen? The usual? A policy is put in place and then, a few days or weeks later, end of the policy or enforcement of it?
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7-11 to introduce free paper bags in high tourist areas such as Pattaya after customer and staff complaints over no plastic policy

By Adam Judd

January 6, 2020

CP All, who runs the 7-11 chain in Thailand, announced today that after only six days into stopping providing plastic bags at their thousands of locations they are going to provide for free paper bags in tourist areas, including Pattaya.

Although the plastic bag “ban” in which over seventy retailers signed an agreement to stop providing plastic bags on January 1st of this year started with lots of success stories and pictures going viral on social media of people bringing humorous containers to carry their purchases, now that nearly a week has set in complaints and upset customers are increasing.

Store clerks interviewed in the Pattaya area by the Pattaya News have said they spend most of their day arguing with tourists over not being able to provide a bag. Although local residents and expats are conforming to the policy and bringing reusable bags the thousands of tourists in the area, especially from countries like Russia and China who do not speak English or Thai, simply do not understand or like the policy.

Additionally, staff said that it is impractical to expect tourists that are out on the beach all day or clubbing in nightlife hotspots all night to carry a reusable bags with them. Staff told the Pattaya News that sales are way down with many customers leaving baskets of groceries at the front of the stores when they find out no bags are available leaving more work for the staff to put the items back.

It seems corporate management is listening as the paper bags are on the way, at least for now only for tourist locations like Pattaya and Phuket. Some companies, like Big C, still have plastic but a customer must pay an additional fee for them.

Meanwhile, environmental activists are already crying foul of the decision to offer paper, saying that in many ways it is worse for the environment and encourages cutting down more trees and forests. Environmental groups would prefer that the stores stand firm on their policy and require customers to bring reusable bags and change habits.

https://thepattayanews.com/2020/01/06/7 ... ic-policy/
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And, of course, no shortage of complaints:
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Complaint Filed Over Retailers’ Total Ban on Plastic Bag

ByT appanai Boonbandit, Staff Reporter

January 6, 2020

BANGKOK — A transparency activist on Monday accused retailers of taking advantage of consumers in stopping to give out plastic bags without offering them free alternatives.

Speaking to the media after filing a petition against 75 retailers to the Consumer Protection Board, Srisuwan Janya said the firms are exploiting consumers rights by passing the burden to their customers with the ban on plastic bags they rolled out on New Year’s Day.

“I support the scheme, but retailers should offer alternative solutions for their customers,” he said. “They are taking advantage of their customers because they still charge the same price while saving cost from not giving out plastic bags.”

He also accused the government of failing to protect shoppers as prescribed by Article 61 of the Constitution, which required the authorities to provide safeguards to the rights of consumers.

“Some retailers use this opportunity to raise the prices of alternative containers, in which consumers have no choice,” Srisuwan said. “It seems that the government is OK with this, even though it’s their duty to protect consumers rights.”

He demanded the Consumer Protection Board to press retailers to find alternative solutions for their customers or mark down the prices within 90 days. If nothing has been done after those 90 days, Srisuwan said he would file a legal complaint against the board itself.

The nationwide plastic bag ban at major retailer chains is part of the government’s plan to eradicate single-use plastic bags nationwide by 2021, which also includes an even more radical solution of blurring images of single-use plastic bags on TV shows.

http://www.khaosodenglish.com/news/crim ... astic-bag/
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See also: http://www.khaosodenglish.com/life/2020 ... -to-adapt/
Jun

Re: Plastic bags on their way out

Post by Jun »

The policy simply needs to be explained to the more ignorant tourists who do not yet understand the reasons for it. Supplying explanation leaflets to tourists arriving from countries without much of a recycling culture would be a good start.

Also biodegradable only fixes half the problem with disposable bags. The wasted energy remains an issue. Encouraging as much if the planet as possible to reuse bags is the way forward.

Also, after titting about with this extremely minor issue, CO2 emissions need serious attention.
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Re: Plastic bags on their way out

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Although it's a drop in the bucket, I support it too. Obviously not enough to put a serious dent in the plastics pollution problem, but at least it's something - a start.
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Majority support ban on single-use plastic bags: Poll

12 Jan 2020

A majority of people support the government's ban on single-use plastic bags at department and convenience stores, saying it is a way of reducing garbage and combating global warming, according to an opinion survey by the National Institute for Development Administration, or Nida Poll.

The poll was conducted on 1,262 people aged 15 and over of various levels of education and occupation throughout the country to compile their opinions on the ban which takes effect from Jan 1.

A majority -- 57.69% -- of the respondents said they strongly support the ban as it is a way of reducing the quantity of garbage in the country and tackling global warming in line with the government's policy; 23.21% said they somewhat support it but suggested that the ban should be imposed gradually as plastic bags are still needed for use with some merchandise; 9.75% slightly disagreed with the ban, saying it comes too soon for the people to adjust themselves to it; 8.72% said they are totally against it, saying it puts a burden on customers; and 0.63% had no comment or were not interested.

Asked how they have dealt with the ban, 79.32% said they bring their own bags or other containers; 18.38% said they simply carry the items away by hand; 11.25% said they go shopping less frequently; 4.83% said they buy plastic bags or other containers from the stores to carry their purchases; 2.77% said they use cloth or other kinds of bags which can be borrowed from the stores; 1.82% said they use second-hand plastic bags handed out by the stores; 0.71% said they shop at other stores where bags are provided; and 0.16% had no comment or were not interested.

Asked to comment on a sugestion that department and convenience stores provide customers with other kinds of containers to replace single-use plastic bags, 64.58% said they strongly agree that stores should do this when customers forget to bring their own bags; 22.11% said they strongly agree with it but the stores should not sell them but rather provide them to customers free of charge; 8.24% strongly disagree with it, saying that people should be aware that they must bring their own bags; 4.44% were in moderate disagreement, saying the government had told them in advance to bring their own bags; and 0.63% had no comment or were not interested.

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/ge ... l#cxrecs_s
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