Local stores face checkout bag shortages and rising costs
Checkout bags are in short supply, and Melrose businesses face rising prices to provide bags to customers.
Yet we have choices that can help us respond to this situation. We can help local businesses by bringing reusable bags or by skipping the checkout bag when we don’t need it. In addition to the environmental benefits of reusables, we’ll save the business time and money–and every little bit helps.
You may notice that local stores have fewer options for checkout bags these days, or are more appreciative than usual when you bring a reusable bag. Checkout bags are one of the many products affected by the ongoing global supply shortages. Stores are waiting weeks for backordered shipments or driving miles to source checkout bags. Unprecedented raw material shortages combined with strong demand are causing prices to skyrocket. Beyond the high cost of checkout bags, businesses use more time to search for bags and other supplies—placing additional demands on staff time. These shortages affect all businesses, from local shops to big chains. Both paper and plastic bags have been impacted by the shortages.
If you need help remembering to bring your reusable bag, consider these tips.
Place a reminder note on the front door or garage to trigger your memory before leaving the house.
Leave several bags where you keep your keys.
Most of us have a checking system when we leave home: wallet - check, keys - check. Add shopping bags to that checklist: phone - check, wallet - check, phone - check, bags - check.
Find a folding bag to keep in your backpack or bag. Despite their compact size, folding bags can hold a lot.
Leave bags for grocery shopping in the car. If you're concerned about forgetting them, add “shopping bags” to your shopping list.
Always return your bags to their usual location after use.
Here’s a refresher about plastic checkout bags in Melrose. To encourage reusable bags and reduce plastic pollution, Melrose passed the plastic bag law in December 2017 in a unanimous vote by the City Council. The law was passed with the intent to encourage reusable bags instead of any type of single-use bag (paper or plastic). The law reduces litter and is part of a global movement to address plastic pollution and reduce reliance on fossil fuels. Indeed, a recent report by the non-profit Upstream Solutions finds that reusables beat single-use bags, other containers, and utensils by every environmental measure. More than 140 towns/cities in Massachusetts have passed laws to ban or limit plastic bags. The law applies to all stores and restaurants in the city. For more information, visit cityofmelrose.org or zerowastemelrose.org.
Local businesses need our support. Let’s see what we all can do to help.
