'Putting the burden on the consumer again' - Mixed reactions to Penneys' new paper bag charge

There has been a mixed reaction to Penneys' recent announcement that they will be introducing a new charge on their iconic paper bags from next week. 

The Irish retail giant announced on Monday that from next Monday, 12 May there will be a 15c charge on their previously free brown paper bags at the checkout. All paper bags will be impacted, whether small, medium or large.

These charges have been introduced as part of the company's measures to cut down on waste and encourage sustainability.

In a statement released by Penneys, they said: "Across our business we use thousands of paper bags every day. While our own paper bags are made from 100% recycled and recyclable materials, we're always looking for ways to cut down on single-use waste.

"We're committed to being part of the solution when it comes to clothing and non-clothing waste, and this change is just one of the small steps we're taking. We hope it inspires more customers to make the switch to reusable bags."

Despite Penneys defending the decision as a waste-cutting measure, many have argued it is "all just smoke and mirrors" coming from a fast-fashion company. 

Newstalk hosted a live discussion on the newest charges on Tuesday afternoon to see just what people thought and although the reactions were mixed, some definitely weren't happy. 

Sustainability Advocate and Strategist Pat Kane called into the show to express her frustration with Penneys' latest "feel good initiative."

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She said: "The reality of fast fashion brands, they often talk about sustainability but it's all just smoke and mirrors. It's like putting lipstick on the problem - it looks better, but it's still a problem.

"By launching this small feel-good initiative like charging a few pennies for a paper bag, that quite frankly isn't worth a penny nevermind 15, or setting up a recycling bin in the corner of a shop while churning out mountains of cheap clothing every week, it's not good enough."

Kane said that she would rather see the retailer focus on "big ticket items" rather than "small token initiatives" such as this one. Instead of addressing major issues within the company, she said they are "putting the burden on the consumer once again for not recycling" when "big problems are still there."

A Spokesperson for Penneys responded to the show for comment to say they were one of the last retailers to implement the charge for paper bags. They also said they already use 100% recycled paper and so with this charge they hope to decrease the use of the bags even more. 

Kane made the point that the bag itself isn't even good quality to warrant charging consumers: "You see people walk around town with the bags ripping halfway through between the shops and the bus stop. 

But will this deter customers from shopping at Penneys? Kane doesn't think so. "I very much doubt. People feel angry at first but then they'll get used to it."

The show also heard from a pet shop retailer, Edwin, who argued that the charge is unnecessary as people's attitudes have changed significantly in recent years and have become more conscious of recycling. In his opinion, people only get bags if they need them and so there shouldn't be a charge. 

On the extreme end of the scale, one person text into the show to say that when Easons introduced a charge for paper bags last year "they lost my custom completely because of greed."

However, not everyone is against such charges. One person said they were "delighted" with the decision as "millions of bags" were being handed out each day and something needed to be done.

Someone else agreed, saying they had "no problem paying for a paper bag, but there should be no free advertising printed on them."

What do you think of the new charge?