No Plastic Bag Day (2)
No Plastic Bag Day (1 Jan 2011)
It has been two months since we started on the 'No Plastic Bag Day' at my husband's shop on 1 Jan 2011. Every Saturday is definitely a hectic day for all of us here. Firstly, since we don't use plastic bags, we need to provide boxes. We have to keep plenty of small boxes as customers usually buy a few items.
We need to be patient and at the same time tolerant too. Why? Because some customers still insist that we give then plastic bags. They even threaten not to buy from us on Saturdays as our neighbor still provides plastic bags.
Today, a customer just bought a few items so I gave her a small box. In fact she had a plastic bag with her. So I suggested that she used her own plastic bag. She refused and kept asking for one.
Then another customer at the next counter asked loudly for a plastic bag. She didn't want a box. Since she was so loud, we gave in and gave her the plastic bag. Seeing that, the other customer again asked for one. Well, when we gave it to a customer, we had to give it to the next one too.
We tried hard not to give in. But for cold stuff, we still gave.
A customer casually asked me, "Why do you want to follow? It's only meant for the big emporium." Well, I told her that it's a good campaign. We should support it.
Some customers thought that it's also so troublesome. But I don't think so. I make sure that we carry it out every Saturday. I could see the progress. Some customers were already bringing their own shopping bags.
But at the meantime, we could only carry out until about 5 in the evening. I hope in future we could carry it out until 10pm.
I am glad that my staff co-operates well. Otherwise, it wouldn't be a success! That's teamwork!
It has been two months since we started on the 'No Plastic Bag Day' at my husband's shop on 1 Jan 2011. Every Saturday is definitely a hectic day for all of us here. Firstly, since we don't use plastic bags, we need to provide boxes. We have to keep plenty of small boxes as customers usually buy a few items.
We need to be patient and at the same time tolerant too. Why? Because some customers still insist that we give then plastic bags. They even threaten not to buy from us on Saturdays as our neighbor still provides plastic bags.
Today, a customer just bought a few items so I gave her a small box. In fact she had a plastic bag with her. So I suggested that she used her own plastic bag. She refused and kept asking for one.
Then another customer at the next counter asked loudly for a plastic bag. She didn't want a box. Since she was so loud, we gave in and gave her the plastic bag. Seeing that, the other customer again asked for one. Well, when we gave it to a customer, we had to give it to the next one too.
We tried hard not to give in. But for cold stuff, we still gave.
A customer casually asked me, "Why do you want to follow? It's only meant for the big emporium." Well, I told her that it's a good campaign. We should support it.
Some customers thought that it's also so troublesome. But I don't think so. I make sure that we carry it out every Saturday. I could see the progress. Some customers were already bringing their own shopping bags.
But at the meantime, we could only carry out until about 5 in the evening. I hope in future we could carry it out until 10pm.
I am glad that my staff co-operates well. Otherwise, it wouldn't be a success! That's teamwork!
It is troublesome...no doubt about it. But if we were to think about this whole green campaign thingy...it is better to be troubled a little bit now then to be overwhelmed by more troubles in the future. :p
ReplyDeleteI hope that one day Malaysia will ban the usage of all plastic bags. They should come out with biodegradable ones. :p
ReplyDeletetry charge 20sen for each plastic. That is what the shops are doing in Selangor. Soon ppl will bring their own plastic
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting this.
ReplyDeleteHappy weekend!
B xx
errr, it's not only for big emporium!! it's nationwide campaign..
ReplyDeleteHere, some shops give boxes... Some sell those recyclable bags. Overseas, they do the latter. Cannot give it to the unreasonable customers, you give an inch - they want a yard! So kurang ajar! Too bad though that in many cases, money speaks the loudest! Hope you're not in that category.
ReplyDelete*give in
ReplyDeleteSo you have a dilemma. Not giving free plastic bags and you risk losing patrons. That's a tough call.
ReplyDeleteYes, tough for u, i can imagine... cos next door giving and it is a saturday some more..
ReplyDeletei always forget too when i go JJ on saturday.. i ended up buying small items where I can chuck it in my handbag..
Some people just don't understand that we have to take care of the environment. It is good that you implement this at your shop every Sat. Good job!
ReplyDeleteFor my place here,the supermarket will charge xtra 20 sen if we need a plastic bag...maybe you can adopt the same system too..
ReplyDeleteYa, I think it is a good campain too... I pesonally support it and I like to bring my own shopping bag whenever go shopping and marketing. It just a matter of time, hope your customer will get use to it.
ReplyDeleteHi Wenn, here in Toronto all stores, supermarkets stop giving free paper bags. But charge 5 cents if you need one.
ReplyDeleteAnd everyone now carries or bring their own bags.
Environment concerns, I guess.
Lee.