Study Shows Plastic Bag Ban Resulting in Health Problems

[NewToCA]

Originally Posted by nullgeo

Wait a minute New. You're kidding, right? Vendors and retailers can charge, discount, and do any kind of promotions they want. They can give the bags to customers for free or charge $25.00 a bag if they so desire. They can promote themselves by advertising "free bags with purchase of corn dog" or "our customers a worth a free bag" or or or or ... If they want to pay a customer's bag fee they can.

No, I wasn't kidding, and they can't do what you propose unless they want to pay fines.


On Monday, the city’s checkout ordinance ban signed into law in February takes effect, banning plastic bags at all retail stores and imposing a 10-cent charge for all other bags handed out by the store. Next October, the ban will extend to restaurants too.

A 2007 law prohibits large grocery stores and chain pharmacies from using plastic bags, but did not require them to charge a fee for giving away other bags.

Expanded plastic bag ban takes effect Monday | City Insider | an SFGate.com blog


Anonymously report stores that are not compliant and not charging for checkout bags with our San Francisco Bag Ordinance Non-Compliance Report Form. SF Environment will follow-up with the business.

http://www.sfenvironment.org/article...-bag-ordinance


(a) Any person who violates this Ordinance shall be guilty of an infraction. If charged as an infraction, upon conviction thereof, said person shall be punished by

(1) a fine not exceeding $100.00 for a first violation,

(2) a fine not exceeding $200.00 for a second violation within the same year, and

(3) a fine not exceeding $500.00 for each additional violation within the same year.

http://www.amlegal.com/nxt/gateway.d...anfrancisco_ca

[nullgeo]

Originally Posted by NewToCA

No, I wasn't kidding, and they can't do what you propose unless they want to pay fines.


On Monday, the city’s checkout ordinance ban signed into law in February takes effect, banning plastic bags at all retail stores and imposing a 10-cent charge for all other bags handed out by the store. Next October, the ban will extend to restaurants too.

A 2007 law prohibits large grocery stores and chain pharmacies from using plastic bags, but did not require them to charge a fee for giving away other bags.

Expanded plastic bag ban takes effect Monday | City Insider | an SFGate.com blog


Anonymously report stores that are not compliant and not charging for checkout bags with our San Francisco Bag Ordinance Non-Compliance Report Form. SF Environment will follow-up with the business.

Checkout Bag Ordinance | sfenvironment.org - Our Home. Our City. Our Planet


(a) Any person who violates this Ordinance shall be guilty of an infraction. If charged as an infraction, upon conviction thereof, said person shall be punished by

(1) a fine not exceeding $100.00 for a first violation,

(2) a fine not exceeding $200.00 for a second violation within the same year, and

(3) a fine not exceeding $500.00 for each additional violation within the same year.

American Legal Publishing - Online Library

I repeat: retailers can run any kind of campaign they want to offset this fee ... i.e.: "for every bag of groceries you buy at Ralph's, we'll pay you $0.10 off your total purchase."

There are any number of ways retailers can compensate the charge. Never been in retail business? I have.

[Gentoo]

Originally Posted by nullgeo

Wait a minute New. You're kidding, right? Vendors and retailers can charge, discount, and do any kind of promotions they want. They can give the bags to customers for free or charge $25.00 a bag if they so desire. They can promote themselves by advertising "free bags with purchase of corn dog" or "our customers a worth a free bag" or or or or ... If they want to pay a customer's bag fee they can.

Actually the charge for the bags is mandatory, it's like a tax.

[Gentoo]

Originally Posted by nullgeo

I repeat: retailers can run any kind of campaign they want to offset this fee ... i.e.: "for every bag of groceries you buy at Ralph's, we'll pay you $0.10 off your total purchase."

There are any number of ways retailers can compensate the charge. Never been in retail business? I have.

Good point.

[nullgeo]

Originally Posted by Gentoo

Actually the charge for the bags is mandatory, it's like a tax.

Did you ever see a sales event / campaign / pitch that says: "No sales tax!" or "We pay the tax!"?

Is there no sales tax? Nope. The retailer is paying it. The tax is calculated, printed on the receipt, and refunded as a promotional discount. $0.10 on a $50 or $60 dollar bag of groceries .... Phbbbbt ... If a retailer thinks there's an advertising / P.R. / customer relations benefit to paying the charge, they'll give up $0.10 in a half a heartbeat.

[OwlKaMyst]

Originally Posted by NewToCA

But they shouldn't, that is just another government decision. Instead, they should allow the vendors or retailers decide if they want to charge for paper bags and if so, how much.

Why shouldn't they? To not charge totally defeates the purpose.
I find it fitting. What is the point of putting a ban on single use plastic bags and then offering free bags of some other material? The whole purpose of the ban is not only to get rid of these bags from our lives but also to reduce our consumption of things we do not need to consume at the rate we are consuming them.
.10 is a small incentive to get people to remember to bring their own bags.
This ban will actually save everyone money in the long run. People think we got out bags for free, but that's not true. The cost is dispersed across the price of other goods. Small businesses will for sure save by not having to purchase a small number of bags at a higher price.

[capoeira]

Originally Posted by OwlKaMyst

Small businesses will for sure save by not having to purchase a small number of bags at a higher price.

They will lose money and sales! I drive out of SF to Pacifica, Daly City, San Bruno or SSF for shopping instead of shopping in SF.

[Gentoo]

Originally Posted by capoeira

They will lose money and sales! I drive out of SF to Pacifica, Daly City, San Bruno or SSF for shopping instead of shopping in SF.

They're only losing your money. I work in SF and sometimes do stuff for a few retail stores rarely. They're business is fine. Most people pay the few extra cents for the bags rather than the few extra dollars for the gas