We are asked when we buy something in India. And if the answer is ‘yes’ something like 5 to 8 Rupees are added to the bill.
Marketing strategists tell us that the aim of the seller is to stroke the human weakness for going for something you don’t need. That means, when you buy, based on the spur of the moment decision, there’s a good chance that you don’t have anything to carry them in.
Shops used to give us cheap but useful plastic bags. These bags when thrown away indiscriminately would destroy the environment and unless people learn to dispose them off in an environment friendly manner or recycle, it should be banned.
Thus comes the regulatory guideline that plastic bags should be discouraged.
But then the trade should not convert that into a money making business. It’s like a private tax as the cost for the bags are a fraction of what is charged. In some businesses and large chains, the income out of this private tax could run into millions.
And imagine, somebody giving a plastic bag and charging for it!!! The very idea to discourage the free bags is to avoid plastic. One day I had ‘my day’. I was buying an outfit from an international brand chain in Kochi and I wasn’t sure if I really needed it. At the counter I was told that I have to pay Rs.8 if I want a bag. And it was a plastic bag, and I questioned use of plastic at a price to stop plastic. The poor cashier didn’t know what to do. Encouraged by an approving look on the lady behind the line and to save the poor cashier, I asked for the store manager.
The cashier went in and came out to say that the bag is free. The manager just avoided a confrontation.
Some actions are required. Of course plastic is to be discouraged, not perhaps for saving the tree, but for the laziness of not disposing them off correctly. Actually I read somewhere that more trees are cut to make substitutes to plastic.
Definitely the bags should be biodegradable like made off cloth or paper. Rural Kerala from my memory has been using newspapers to pack, tied around with jute strings. In fact that created a secondary market for used newspaper in literate Kerala.
And on shops charging a penalty for suggesting to pack in plastic bags! Well the penalty should not be a trading profit. They may at best take the actual cost for an alternate bag.
And the profit may go to some relief fund or charity. Certainly not to the trader’s profit as the name for it is ‘looting’……
Kurian 
Right brother..
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An introspective piece Mr Kurian. When I used to live in Bangalore, department stores used to offer plastic bags for an extra Rs 5. When the local government outlawed plastic bags, the store started offering cloth bags instead but now at a price of Rs 20.
Needless to say we bought just one of those bags and always carried it on next purchases.
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Thank you for the feedback. The cost for the cloth bags produced in bulk could be two to three rupees. They are making a tax free profit
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Great post, Kurian. When I shopped in India, I loved the fact that my item were either wrapped in news paper or in little cotton bags, sowed with beautiful fabric. I still keep all of them.
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Oh, thank you so much for the comment. And great observation. This is indeed a good feedback.
Some stores charge customers for the bags making a profit. Of course people have started going to shops carrying own bags
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The trend of the newspaper packing with jute strings is coming back again every where I guess. That’s how we used to buy stuff during my schooling.
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Yes Swetha. Thank you
Only big stores charge customers
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Agree with you Kurian. I remember before the plastic bags we would always carry a cloth bag from home. Even the grocer gave us stuff in brown paper or newspaper covers. People had simple habits with a lot of respect for nature.
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👌🌹
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Very true…
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Sometimes I laugh at this, we are buying stuff of thousands and of course we will need a bag and the additional amount. 😂
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Indeed.
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Well done.. “reuse and become environment friendly”, something which we all must keep in mind always
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True. And thank you
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Good morning Akhila and wish you a very happy October
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Thanks..have a great time
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October resolution… to be most supportive to our exclusive friends group here. To be most decent and honest
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Since over 10 years now, I carry a jute bag / cloth bag where ever I go. Some ask / mock me that why is it important to tag a bag along with you all the time… Well, the answer is I don’t want the shopkeeper to give me plastic bags that will eventually go in the garbage which may/may not get recycled & used. So, the idea is, take a bag, fill up all what you want, be a little less guilty & happy for the fact that you contributed a bit towards the environment conservation. PS – my veggie vendor is extremely happy with me doing this & happily fills up my bag with the veggies himself.
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Great Vidya. That’s what we all should do
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