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Animates and bags
#1
I went to Animates the other day to pick up my $96 pet food order and while there, spent another $48 on their great pet food offer.

Paid and was asked if I  had a bag for the $48 assortment of cans and sachets. 
I had left the house with numerous bags but they were now full of groceries in the car a block away and juggling the click and collect (already bagged) plus this new purchase of 48 cans and sachets was going to be tough without another bag. So  I asked for one. There was a discernable pause then she said they only had paper bags and she didn't think it would fit everything. I suggested we try and see, it did and I was able to carry everything back to the car in one trip rather than carrying half back, emptying a grocery bag and driving the car to the shop for the remainder. (It was too hot to walk twice).

When I checked the invoice later, I was a bit annoyed to see a 20 cent charge for the bag. The assistant would have been able to see from my membership that I had spent over $300 on pet food that week and I  can't have a free bag? Even a new customer should be able to have a free bag and their purchase packed for them (don't start me on supermarkets).

The point of this long story is that it highlights something I have long believed - that shops are less concerned about the environment than with being able to charge for something that used to be supplied free of charge ie bags. (And customer service is dead).
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#2
The very reason that you are complaining about your 20c bag that you had to pay for, is the very reason that you later mention, about the environment.

The point is, is that by charging people for the bags, it will hopefully encourage them, to make sure they supply their own bags.

Did you not get the memo about why bags were not going to be supplied anymore?? You were lucky that they had bags at all. I don't think most places even have them anymore, do they?
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#3
Based on the sole time I have ventured into Animates their products seem to be overpriced and your experience of being charged for what you expect to be complementary packaging comes from that same business model.

We are lucky enough to have a local fresh petfood supplier that offers local deliver of a 15kg box of frozen mince rolls for just $4 which is more than compensated for by the bulk discount on a boxed order. Top quality products that leave the likes of Jimbos in the shade pricewise. Maybe worth checking out for those in the North Island (with an urban delivery address).
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#4
Animates would be my second to last pet shop call. Petstock would be the last...

Big barn retailers who pay minimum wage to young inexperienced staffers in order to make the most money they can. I'd rather pay vet prices...
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#5
(30-11-2021, 09:47 AM)crafters_corner Wrote: The very reason that you are complaining about your 20c bag that you had to pay for, is the very reason that you later mention, about the environment.

The point is, is that by charging people for the bags, it will hopefully encourage them, to make sure they supply their own bags.

Did you not get the memo about why bags were not going to be supplied anymore?? You were lucky that they had bags at all. I don't think most places even have them anymore, do they?
The complication that has arisen though is that for sellers of some products a paper bag just won't cut it. Our farm kill processor for example needs to use plastic shopping bags for their customers frozen meat so now uses far heavier plastic bags. These are heavy enough to be reused many times but in many cases won't be I'm guessing. Extra plastic to address the original issue but with a negative outcome overall. Our meat processor will also charge for extra packaging when customer's individual requirements force them to use more than is usual which is understandable as the new bags cost them substantially more than the previously used ones.

I'm all in favour of minimising plastic waste but the solution often isn't as straightforward as you would think.
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#6
(30-11-2021, 09:47 AM)crafters_corner Wrote: The very reason that you are complaining about your 20c bag that you had to pay for, is the very reason that you later mention, about the environment.

The point is, is that by charging people for the bags, it will hopefully encourage them, to make sure they supply their own bags.

Did you not get the memo about why bags were not going to be supplied anymore?? You were lucky that they had bags at all. I don't think most places even have them anymore, do they?
Yeah, I got the memo. In my post, I  mentioned that my bags were full of groceries and that the decision to pick up more pet food was an on the spot decision. Would shops prefer people not buy more than they can fit in their own bags or would they rather supply bags if required? Should I  have walked back to my car and driven back to the shop? Does that help the environment? If I had ordered from Animates online, the courier would have driven the pet food from Hastings to Wellington to deliver it in the Animates supplied for free box.
Rather than grudgingly dispensing one bag which I obviously needed, the shop assistant should have focused on customer service.
I believe stores use the environmental awareness around bags as a marketing ploy and a cost cutting  measure (now charging for bags that were previously free). Examples of commerce before environment - Countdown plastic bricks, promotional flyers.
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#7
Use cardboard box.
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#8
(30-11-2021, 02:31 PM)TygerTung Wrote: Use cardboard box.
Read post. Took many bags to go shopping. Bags all full. No plan to fill car with boxes on off chance decide to buy more.
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#9
No, from the shop, they have them at PakNSave, Mitre10 etc. Ones which were used for packing the things which the petshop ordered in.
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#10
The shop assistant didn't suggest that and it didn't occur to me either. I will keep it in mind if it happens again. Thanks.
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#11
(30-11-2021, 04:01 PM)Underwhelmed Wrote: The shop assistant didn't suggest that and it didn't occur to me either. I will keep it in mind if it happens again. Thanks.

They really should have them. It would also help out the shop as otherwise they will be having to pay to dispose of the boxes.
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#12
I buy pet mince from our local butcher and our dog loves it.  It's frozen and cut into bits for me, ready for the freezer.  Maybe approach your butcher and see what they offer?
Life is a one time offer, use it well 
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