Pack a bag or face a slug at cash register

SOME shoppers will be slugged up to $3.50 from next week when the dumping of single-use plastic bags starts.

Woolworths is the first big supermarket to remove grey plastic bags from all stores next Wednesday and shoppers not armed with bags will be charged extra at the checkout if they require them.

But a much higher charge applies to online shoppers who opt to have their groceries delivered in a crate — this new service by Woolworths will cost $3.50 per delivery to a customer’s benchtop.

There is no way for online shoppers to avoid extra costs for online deliveries — the only alternative is to have groceries delivered in reusable bags at $1 a delivery.

A Woolworths spokesman said the cost “reflects the additional costs of providing this new service”.

“With the new crate-tobench service, orders are packed directly into our delivery crates, and then unpacked on to a customer’s bench by a delivery driver when they arrive,” the spokesman said.

Customers instore can buy reusable bags for 15c or foldable bags for 99c.

Previously shoppers had their deliveries arrive in free single-use plastic bags.

Plastic bags are being removed in Victoria, NSW, Queensland and WA to fall in line with other jurisdictions.

The move by the supermarkets to dump plastic bags is to address concerns about the detrimental effect on wildlife of the non-biodegradable bags.

Rival supermarket Coles will remove them from all stores nationally from July 1.

From then customers arriv- ing at stores without bags will be charged 15c per reusable plastic bag or can buy multiuse bags from $1.

For online deliveries Coles will have a bagless delivery option in reusable crates at no extra charge.

Groceries will be unpacked in the customer’s home and crates will return with the delivery driver.

Customers could also opt to have their groceries delivered in bags at a cost of 15c per reusable bag.

Last week it was revealed some Coles items were 10 per cent higher if ordered online.