Consumer demand for an alternative to plastic shopping bags is being met with a variable and somewhat insufficient supply. Small retailers who are asked for cloth bags by environmentally conscious customers have to weigh good intentions against herd economic reality. Some small businesses can’t absorb the approximately $1 per bag cost. Retailers who feel it is worth their while to give out cloth bags can’t keep them in stock because of demand.
I think promotions that give the bags away with a minimum purchase are a good option for retailers to consider. Another possibility would be to stock bags that are sold in support of a charitable organization.
Options for consumers include reusing plastic shopping bags for several trips before recycling them or purchasing their own durable cloth or string bags. I also reuse boxes that my local market would have otherwise placed on the curb for collection. A durable box that was originally built to transport canned food can be used several times for various purposes.
Source used for this post: www.thewhig.com
