Here’s a great article about the reusable bag trend starting to make its way from the larger chain stores to the independently owned stores. As an example, beginning on Feb. 1st, shoppers at Bend Pet Express in Bend, OR will be charged 25 cents for every plastic bag needed. Customers can save the 25 cents by using a branded reusable bag or 10 cents by using any reusable bag. They also have the option to donate their savings to charity:
“What we’re trying to do is cut back on people using bags for those smaller purchases. They’re going to be much less apt to take a bag if they’ve just got, say, a chew toy, if we say, ‘You’re welcome to a bag, but it will cost you 25 cents.’”
I commend the owners of Bend Pet Express for taking the right steps to cut down on plastic waste in their store. It’s a much harder decision for small businesses to begin charging customers for plastic bags because they can’t afford to lose customers who might not agree with the decision. The larger chains definitely deserve an enormous amount of respect for making these changes, but they certainly have a lot more leeway when it comes to their customer base.
If you know of any independently owned small businesses in your neck of the woods that have begun charging customers for plastic bags, I’d love to hear about them in the comments. If you’re the owner of a small business and would like to start offering one of the best reusable bags on the market, contact us today. We can even co-brand your logo on our Eco Totes, making it a priceless marketing tool for your business.