Wee gripes: spineless business

Written By: - Date published: 12:33 pm, October 25th, 2009 - 6 comments
Categories: Environment, scoundrels - Tags:

Turtle-plasticbagNew World has dropped the 5 cent levy on plastic bags in its South Island stores. Plastic bag use was down 65%. Many shoppers support the levy but the CEO says: “the objections were too noisy”

Guess we’d better oil the squeakiest wheel then. Even if it means continuing to bugger up our environment. Kind of a microcosm of business and government’s entire response to environmental issues.

6 comments on “Wee gripes: spineless business ”

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  1. swimmer 1
    25 October 2009 at 1:05 pm

    I wish they would replace the plastic bags with those biodegradable bags that look like the ordinary plastic bags. I hate to say it, but sometimes people need plastic bags for stuff and biodegradable bags would be a lesser evil.

  2. George D 2
    25 October 2009 at 1:58 pm

    Spineless Governments too. This is the kind of thing that needs regulation.

    When you see the kind of revolt that happens when you apply a mere 5c charge to bags, you despair. Who is going to make even harder decisions.

    New Zealand has a reactionary streak, like other places, of course, but the difference now is that no-one is willing to stand up to these self-interested bullies and speak about higher values.

  3. Tigger 3
    25 October 2009 at 2:18 pm

    I honestly cannot understand why people think free plastic bags are their ‘right’? Clearly they’ve not been frequenting Pakn’Save for years where this is standard and no one complains.

    If you ‘need’ the bags for rubbish then damn well pay for the things but stop your whining!

    This is an area where the market is not working – a classic case for regulation.

  4. ropata 4
    25 October 2009 at 4:49 pm

    I doubt it’s “spineless business”, more like trying not to piss off customers. It’s the low paid kids on the checkout who cop the flak from irate, unreasonable, arrogant bullies. It would be better if the Govt took responsibility

  5. Stacktwo 5
    25 October 2009 at 8:46 pm

    Guess who is paying for the plastic bags, whether the charge is up front or hidden?

    Nah, we’re better off without them. They cost for the oil to make them, and cost to dispose of. The biodegradable ones may cost less for disposal, but do they degrade to something innocuous, or just something we can’t see? And of course biodegradable ones can’t be reused or turned into something else, as the others often are.

    Take your own bag, or trolley your groceries out to your car (or preferably your bike). I’m old and decrepit, and if I managed to learn to do it, you can too.

    Kia ora

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