I'm all for reducing plastic consumption

But isn't it kinda fked up a consumer can't even get a plastic bag after spending money at a store, meanwhile companies have NO restrictions on how much plastic (or any kind of packaging material) they can use for their products?

In a lot of cases, a bag is a lot more useful than packaging as well, and can actually be reused.

Why are these things being limited at the consumer level (when things are already produced) rather than the production level?

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NerdyPotato · M

A lot of plastic "reduction" is indeed done by transporting it to the supermarket in the exact same way as before but ripping some off before putting the products on the shelves. That obviously doesn't help at all.

As for bags: we used to get a plastic bag everywhere without asking if we needed one, even when buying one item, just so we'd carry their logo around. Now that we need to pay, stores ask first and most people decline, so that's a good development. But it's ridiculous that payment was needed to accomplish that.

caccoon · 36-40

@NerdyPotato yeah but I don't even know why it's trying to be limited at the consumer level at all

It doesn't do much good in comparison to what could be achieved by having strict guidelines about how companies are allowed to package their products

NerdyPotato · M

@caccoon true. All that individually wrapped produce that could easily have been delivered in just crates, candy that's double or triple wrapped in the shelves and probably a few more times before, single use bottles that are crushed when returned instead of washed and refilled like before, ...

But sure, ban plastic straws while still allowing plastic cups, plastic lids and plastic wrappers for paper straws. 🙄

caccoon · 36-40

@NerdyPotato exactly