“No Bag” Sale at Central Department Stores

If you are like me, then you’ve probably grumbled about the waste of plastic bags at convenience stores like 7-Eleven. It seems that they give you bags for everything that you buy. Do I really need a separate bag for small items like batteries while it could be put in the bigger bag that holds say a loaf of bread? After all, both of them are already wrapped in plastic. Same goes for buying a bottle of water. If I’m buying a bottle of water, the chances are that I’m going to drink it straight away. Do I really need a plastic bag? Of course, you can just tell them “no” to so many bags, but some people just blindly accept everything that is given to them.
It’s good to see big chains like Central making a stand on the waste caused by excessive bags. This weekend they have a “no bag” sale. If you bring your own bags you can get a 5% discount. It would be good if Big C & Tesco Lotus did this too sometimes. Or maybe start charging people for plastic bags. For myself, as I always cycle to my local supermarket, I usually put items straight into my saddle bags at checkout. Having said that, I must admit that I like having some bags as I recycle them. Instead of having to buy garbage bags for the smaller bins around my house, I just use these bags that I get from supermarkets and convenience stores. What do you think? What do you do about saving the environment?
Just FYI that CENTRAL No Bag Day Sale is a regular promotion of every month as appeared in the following link:
http://www.central.co.th/en/store/promotion/pro20120206-2.php
Moreover, I also get extra SPOT reward points from TOPS by using my own bag for my everyday shopping too.
Tesco Lotus gives more club points at the checkout when you show your club card and use your own bag. Btw, in Thai “mei au thung khrap/kha” (ไม่เอาถุง) = “no bag, please”.
Thailand is a plastic-bags paradise. Every day you come home you end up with at least 10 bags in different sizes and colors.
It would be good to offer a) 5 thb discount if people use their own bags or charge for the bags (as it is common here in germany)
The same goes for plastic straws…as long as your drinks come from a safe source, please say no to straws too.
people should have to pay for plastic bags. it is the only way to cut down on their use
Tops in Central Bangna have just started giving a discount for bringing your own bag. Maybe its part of the Central Department Store No Bag Sale.
The other evening my friend brought his own wholegrain rice in a little glass container to a restaurant that sold only white rice. i thought it was a great idea, especially as Thai restaurants are so chilled about bringing in outside food, but then it could also be used after dinner for taking hime leftovers – minimise food waste and avoid the polystyrene take away box.
You can also get organic veggies from Raitong farm delivered to your home so organic produce, convenient and no plastic bags at all!
My favorite experience was checking out of a supermarket and handing the bagger my cloth bag. Guess what he did with it? He put it in a bag! BTW, it may be helpful to know how to say, “Don’t put it in a bag,” in Thai, “Mai sai toong.”
Good to see this. I wrote a post a while ago about the mindless use of plastic bags in Thailand, most notably at 7/11: http://baanajarn.com/living-in-thailand/say-no-to-plastic-bags/
We use supermarket bags instead of buying binliners. Saves the environment from too many binliners and saves money too.
I have though on numerous occasions seen people buy a drink in 7-11, the cashier puts the drink in a plastic bag, the person walks outside throws the bag away and drinks the drink.
Why? Lack of education…