:o Wth... Did he give a reason why he wouldn't use them?

Just "well, how about I just take these and put them here instead, and use these new ones for you? It's easier."

That sounds so patronizing. T_T

It was. He said it like I was a four year old.

A lot of our current environmental problems come from sheer laziness. Yesterday I handed an anti-idling pamphlet a jerk who was parked in a no parking zone and idling (for a quick getaway?) as he waited for someone when he could have easily parked about 20 metres away. Sheesh!

sometimes cashiers have a hard time understanding "i would like to use my own bag" so after they bag it, i take the items out of the bag(s) and transfer them to my own receptacle(s).

I would have done that, but then he would have thrown the new ones away.

Ha I totally wrote an entry on here about plastic bags a few weeks ago. I AM the cashier at the drug store and I am constantly bugging people to reuse bags, put things in their purse, etc etc and some people are like "yes I need that little package of pills in a bag thanks" AS IF IT'S ANY EASIER TO CARRY. REALLY.
MY -GOD-.

I remember that post... about people who get a bag for just one thing.

The only reason I get a bag for just one thing is when I can get a 5 cent refund out of it :c)

Yeah, that sucks. Where I am, some of the supermarkets have a policy that if it's less than 5 items - they don't give you a plastic bag unless you REQUEST one from the cashier.

I miss europe, where they don't give you a bag unless you request it, and then they charge you for it. Everyone brought their own bags to reuse.

Wow the guy sounds like he needs a serious attitude adjustment, maybe with a bag over his own head. Not even considering the plastic bags not being recycled part, he sounds like a totally disrespectful person to take things of yours that you brought in and simply throw them away as if they weren't YOURS.

I would have called the manager and told him, but im confrontational like that.

I was just in shock. But I plan to do that tomorrow.

Good for you. I've never had people refuse, but I have gotten weird looks when I carry a lot of loose items out in my arms because I've forgotten to bring my own bag. I figure it's my punishment :)

And I meant to add, I talk to the manager at one grocery store every time I go in because they eliminated the need to sign credit card slips at the UScan. I've had 2 separate customer service reps say "well, you can always sign if you want". Thanks sweetie. The person who steals my card isn't really going to want to sign.

My point being, bug them enough and they'll make sure you're happy. Most managers are pretty nice. The last time I went in the guy was like, "wow, that's a really good point...I'm going to write to corporate!" :)

omg, exactly the same thing happens to me... and it takes me 10 minutes to walk home from the store, so sometimes it gets quite funny

i had a similar experience in home depot, except it was canvas bags.
i wrote to HR. whole story below if you're interested. it was one of the more frustrating days of my life.

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I think I'll write to HR. I'm still bitter.

I know what that cashier told you was wrong. But that's one of the things that blows my mind. I was using fred meyer bags IN fred meyer. There was absolutely no stupid reason my bags weren't acceptable, since they were exactly the same as every other bag in the store.

Thanks for sharing your story :c) I wish I'd gotten they guy's name... They print casheri names on the receipt, so I figured it was better to look later than burn a hole in the poor guy's chest with my death stare. But wouldn't you know... he must be new! All it says is "Cashier CCK" which decodes to "Cashier cashier." oy.

I am constantly fighting to get cashiers to re-use the bags I bring in. It's not that they refuse (luckily) just that they are so programmed to just stick things in a bag. When I have few enough items to need no bag, I have to tell them no bag please and then say it again as they are about to stick it in the bag. I can tell they just forgot and were back on automatic.

I often bring in paper bags, and if there is a bagger and I'm not paying attention, because I'm in the middle of paying, they will often put a plastic bag around the paper bags! Sometimes even when they are already double bagged or come with handles. I think some of them are so used to their routine that they fall back into it even when presented with another option.

Obviously this guy was using his conscious mind to be a jerk tho'.

I've always wondered if I could just take my old plastic bags in and have them bag my stuff in those. So, it is possible AND you get a 5 cent refund? Nice!

a bag is a bag

Cashiers never seem to understand what I'm doing when I bring my own bags.

Once, when I left my reusable bags at home, I decided to purchase a couple from the grocery store (they were 99 cents). They were the first thing I picked up so they inevitably ended up buried underneath all of my groceries.
I get to the checkout and take the time to dig them out from under everything so I can put them on the conveyor belt first (you know, so she can ring them up and then put stuff in them) and then set to unloading my groceries.
By the time I finish unloading and dig out my debit card I realize that she has bagged everything in plastic and then set my reusable bags in my cart.. empty.

I just don't get that.. it's not like she could have mistaken them for anything else. Aside from that, when I worked retail if someone bought some sort of bag or container, whether it was intended for that purpose or not, I always asked if they wanted to put their items in that, rather than a bag.

Around here (MN), grocery stores give credit (and will reuse) paper bags and canvas/whatever, but won't reuse, nor give credit for, plastic bags. Claims too many bag failures, then people complain and want replacement items.

The same places don't like having to get out the paper bags. Somehow they're harder to pack? Of course - they need to open them up rather than just pull forward the next plastic bag on the plastic bag holder / packing station....

The local coop gives paper bag coupons (made from cut up paper bags). Collect 20 for a dollar discount, or toss them in the collection box - they become 10 cents (doubled) donation from the coop to a local environment group.

One time I told the bagger-man to please not bag the milk but he does anyway and then he's like "oh yeah" and rolls his eyes and yanks the milk out and throws the bags away.

UGHHHH defeated the whole purpose and makes me mad to this day.