Soccer Dad

Target's target

Serandez:

One of the best things about Target has been one of the single most important traits for any shopper, especially if you're buying a lot of items as people tend to do at places like Target: Great, strong, durable plastic bags. As I was being rung up at the register today I noticed that the bags looked thinner, felt strange, and didn't seem as strong. Since Kayla's car seat was taking up part of the cart, I had to hold three of the bags in my hand as I wheeled out of the store. Sure enough, the handles immediately started to stretch apart, and a bag dropped. As I picked that one back up, another bag ripped apart completely. When I finally got a handle on all the items, my yarmulke flew off (of course), and was retrieved by a nice man who was randomly standing outside Target. (Side note: I never understood why there are always random people standing outside on that strip - there's nothing out there at all.)

I never understood why companies switch bags. The savings can't be that much at the bulk they're getting them, and as soon as people realize, they demand double bags every time. In addition, people become more and more frustrated with the store and - consciously or not - create bad associations with going to that store: "Oh man, it was so annoying to shlep out there, then the bags ripped, it was such a mess, and the baby was crying..." This is especially true if something breaks, as is bound to happen.

I don't think that the switch in bags was done for savings. It was done out of environmental concerns.

Last year Baltimore's City Council considered a measure that would have charged stores for distributing plastic bags. I suspect other jurisdictions have considered similar measures. I'm guessing that Target's actually trying to get out ahead of these laws.

But you'll say, aren't people getting two bags? I suspect that this is an attempt to get people to buy the 99 cent reusable cloth bags. My guess is that the original intent was that if the plastic bags weren't sturdy, people would start buying the reusable bags. Maybe that hasn't worked as planned. Or maybe they figured with people bringing home twice as many bags as before, they'll surrender and buy the reusables before they get overrun by plastic bags.