Community Chat

[ScrapHappy]

I remember hearing on the news or someplace at the beginning of the pandemic not to use reusable grocery bags.  I haven't but wondered if it's safe to do so now?

[Imaoldhippie]

I have been using mine the whole time.

[bonappetit]

Google CDC.

[Jordan2]

I live in NYC, they had banned plastic bags, then when the pandemic set, the bags came back.  Some stores don’t want you to bring your bags. One supermarket I go to has plastic bags, the other has paper bags they charge you a nickel apiece for. You can bring your own bags from home, but you will be packing your own groceries, the cashier isn’t touching your bags.

[noodleann]

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@ScrapHappy wrote:

I remember hearing on the news or someplace at the beginning of the pandemic not to use reusable grocery bags.  I haven't but wondered if it's safe to do so now?

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None of the supermarkets in my area will allow checkers to use customer-provided bags of any kind. If you check yourself out, you can use them. Just so the employees don't handle them, is my understanding.

[Icegoddess]

Around here I never even heard of not using reusable bags until I read it on the forums here.  I know my local Publix still sell them.  I use the plastic bags every day when I clean the litter box, so I haven't been using the reusable ones.  However, when it got hot I started taking one of my insulated bags for my cold stuff and they had no problem with it and they filled it.  I don't mind bagging my own groceries and would've done it myself no problem if they didn't want to.  At least I no longer have a problem with my milk going bad since I changed to the full fat ultra-filtered stuff.

[Travone]

Only one of our grocery chains allows us to now bring in our own bags.  But you must pack it yourself and you can not put it on the counter.  It is a contamination issue.

[ALRATIBA]

For years, both Trader Joe's and Whole Foods have had reusable grocery bags.  I have a thermal bag from one of them that I alway use for cold/frozen foods.  I've used the bags for years.

None of the food I buy touches the bag.  It's in a can, box, plastic wrapper or plastic bag.  

Funny thing happened at Walgreens the other day - you need your own bags or pay for their paper bags. 

I take my cloth bag out for the clerk - and she wouldn't touch it.  I had to pack my own (clean cloth) bag.  Not a big deal - but t was amusing. 

[deeva]

I hate using plastic bags. Target, Sprouts and Wal-Mart allow reusable bags. 

[Twoaces]

In San Diego, Vons and Albertson’s were using plastic for free, requiring that during the shutdown. Now they are back to charging a fee for paper or plastic.  You may bring your own to pack yourself.  Pre pandemic you could bring your own bags which they would fill for you.  ( it’s still hard to believe that this isn’t all a bad dream, grocery bags being the very, very least of it!)