Supermart cashier choked in ‘bag rage’ incident

SYDNEY: Australia’s biggest supermarket chains are scrambling to combat “bag rage” as frustrated shoppers vent their anger over the removal of single-use plastic bags. One man put his hands around a supermarket worker’s t hroat, t he West Australian newspaper reported, while grocery stores are putting on more staff to help customers get used to the change.

The removal of single-use plastics is part of a national push to reduce waste. As of July 1, major retailers in all but two Australian states will be fined if they supply single-use plastic bags. National supermarket chain Coles, owned by Wesfarmers, yesterday removed single-use plastic bags from its stores, shortly after rival Woolworths banned the bags on June 20.

Consumer complaints forced Woolworths to stop charging customers 15 Australian cents (45 sen) for a reusable plastic bag, with the retailer now offering them free until July 8. “They just want a little extra help from us to get through the transition,” Woolworths managing director Claire Peters said in an emailed statement.

After seeing the backlash at its rival, Coles said it would open every checkout lane to reduce queue lengths as staff explain the changes to customers.

“We are taking a proactive step,” a Coles spokesman said.

The union that represents Australian shop assistants has launched a public awareness campaign on the issue. – Reuters