Shoppers find cloth bags cumbersome & costly

Santoshnagar: Consumers shopping in markets were in a shock when they were forced to buy eco-friendly cotton and jute bags whose price started from Rs 20. They felt that this could not be a viable alternative to the plastic bags which were handy and carried more weight. The consumers found that the weight of items a plastic bag would hold was not possible by these costly eco-friendly bags.

Even as the countrywide campaign and drive on single use plastic began from October 2, the shoppers were wondering as to how long the authorities would be able to constrain, as plastic bags had become a norm, and none could imagine shopping without it. The customers purchasing grocery or other items were seen frustrated owing to the ongoing drive against plastic bag use, as they were forced to buy cloth bags, which because of the high prices was not a viable option.

As almost every shopper does not carry the bags, particularly in the contemporary shopping culture, it has become an additional financial burden on the customer. Also, because of the small size of these bags they were forced to buy more than a bag.

While some of them had argument with those at the counter over the matter. "As it's a first week of the month we came to supermarket for purchasing monthly grocery. There are around 30 items, which does not fit in single cloth bag. And moreover how is it expected that a customer would carry large number of items without a bag?" asks Akhlaq Ahmed Ansari, a customer.

He also said that for such items generally one would purchase large sized 3 plastic bags which costs about Rs 6 each and are more durable, as they can handle the maximum weight. But now after this drive began, he was forced to purchase cloth bags at Rs 20 each which was of medium sized and were not much durable.

For such a large number of items, he had to purchase four cloth bags costing Rs 80. However, even these bags could not handle the weight and one of the bags already broke open. How many bags a customer should buy for carrying goods, he wondered.

Speaking to The Hans India, Akhlaq Ahmed said "Being a citizen of India I respect the campaign on plastic usage as it causes pollution, but the government must provide a viable alternative and also create awareness. This kind of knee-jerk reactions to protect environment over daily use items would have consequences, which can be witnessed by the way people were facing problems", he added.

In some of the supermarkets, the plastic bags usage continued with above 40 microns, but with increased prices. A small sized bag was now being provided at Rs 4, which earlier costed Rs 2 and the cost of a medium sized bag which was at Rs 4 now costs Rs 6 and a large which was costing Rs 6, now was being sold at Rs 10.

"Now purchasing something has become a headache for customers. They are cashing in the scenario, as we can't carry items in our hands and should have to purchase the bag any way", said Shaik Amjed, another customer.

In almost all shopping malls and many branded garments stores started providing paper covers and were charging an amount of Rs 8 to 10. But people wonder, what if people carrying paper bags face rain on their way. "Even the paper doesn't have any durability to carry the large number of cloths, as it gets damaged and items inside it also ", said S Vamshi, a customer near shopping mall.

"While leaving from home we can bring along a bag, but while returning from office or from somewhere else how can you expect a customer to consider this. He must purchase a bag, it may be a plastic or a cloth", said Ravi, another customer.

Earlier, we used to take a bag from home for purchasing something but nowadays youngsters would not take bag from home for purchasing goods and buy a bag, laughs N Suresh, a shopper.

According to a supermarket's store manager, "Since the plastic bags have been under the scanner of government, we have been selling cloth bags at Rs 20 and it can carry a weight up to 12 kg. Daily around more than 100 bags are being sold."