My response is always the same. Either bag my purchases, or go put it back on the shelves. Please call the manager to make that decision.
Even in the People’s Republic of Santa Monica, they bagged the purchase rather than putting it back on the shelf. One business tried to just charge me for the bags anyway, and I simply challenged the charge on my credit card, and the bank asked ‘Did you approve it?’ I replied no, filled out the affidavit, and lo and behold, the charge was taken off my bill.
Do not accept this. Any business owner who says ‘this is the law, I’m just following the law’, reply ‘It is your duty to challenge laws that cost you money. Either put my purchase in a free bag, or eat the cost of putting it back on the shelf.’
Biggest challenge came from a Target in Pasadena, the manager refused to bag the items for free, but also wasn’t really interested in the whole putting it back on the shelf idea either. I turned towards the people behind me in line, and asked ‘Who here wants to pay for bags that you would get free in any other Target without this stupid law?’ The manager bagged my purchase himself, and then continued bagging for the rest of the line.
Yes, I’m a anal person for doing this. Yes, I caused a disturbance and knowingly shopped at places that charged for bagging. Yes, I could have gone to another business, skipped the stink, and gone about my life. But I didn’t. I’m too old to give a rat’s anus what others think of what I do and say. I refuse to succumb to idiot laws which do absolutely nothing to fix the issues they claim they are written for.
Know why? Every single EBT food stamp purchase is immune to this law, and all the other laws written about it. You can’t charge an EBT person for a bag, it’s against federal law. Now who’s the most likely person to buy something and just toss the bag on the street?
This is why I fight this law.
Bravo!