Supermarket plastic bag surcharge.

[Charliewool]

This has been touted on the news down here in Vic lately to once again "help the damn environment"! (Read below)

I know what I'll be doing!... And that's to leave the whole bloody lot of my shopping at the checkout when the levy appears on the checkout screen!
If enough do the same, Coles & Woolies will soon be wallowing in rotting groceries at each checkout.
Honestly, this environmental crap is really starting to irk me!..
I thought the bags were bio-degradable anyhow?





SUPERMARKET shoppers will pay between 10 and 25 cents for every plastic bag they use when levies are trialled in a few weeks in Victoria.

Up to 10 Safeway and Coles supermarkets are being recruited by the State Government in Victoria for the month-long trial, due to begin in August.

The new environmental levy comes as another financial blow to cash-strapped consumers.

Shoppers at the participating city and rural supermarkets will pay between 10 and 25 cents per plastic bag, including for home deliveries.

Safeway stores in Berwick, Hampton Park, Fountain Gate, Wangaratta and Warrnambool are confirmed to be among those taking part in the trial of the controversial green levy, with several Coles stores expected to sign on formally this week.

The levy could vary between rival trial stores, which has angered supermarket giants already fearing a shopper backlash and proved a sticking point in locking down the details of the pilot program.

Wangaratta Safeway's acting manager said his store got "official notification" about the trial late last week.

"We're supposed to be getting all sorts of materials, various in-store posters, early this week," he said.

"We'll start training all of our staff up as a matter of urgency."

With Environment Minister Gavin Jennings expected to formally announce the trial this week, staff at test stores expressed fear profits would drop as customers switched to rivals offering free plastic bags.

The State Government and the Australian National Retailers Association yesterday denied participating stores had been confirmed.

A supermarket insider said all revenue raised during the 31-day trial would be donated to an environmental fund, saying: "It is not about raising revenue for us."

But Australian Retailers Association executive director Richard Evans said the trial would hit customers hard.

"We don't believe the trial is long enough," he said.

"All it's going to do is increase the costs for consumers. I don't think we're going to see a reduction in plastic bags."

He said the Government had not consulted retailers enough on plastic bag levies.

A Government spokeswoman said the environment and shoppers would be winners in the trial.

"Customers will be able to use alternative options to avoid the charge and help the environment," she said.

"The Brumby Government is the first state to take practical action on plastic bags and we believe that a voluntary approach with retailers, rather than a mandatory charge or complete ban will deliver the best outcome for the environment and customers."

ANRA spokeswoman Liz Rodway refused to confirm details of the trial.

"Negotiations are still in progress and nothing has been finalised," she said.