SAINSBURY’S shoppers have been left furious as many have been left forced to pay extra at the till.
The major supermarket has put up the cost of its Bags for Life from 30p to 40p – so if you forget to bring a bag, you’ll be paying even more now.
A sign has gone up in store letting customers know about the bag price increase[/caption]
Sainsbury’s said it had to hike the price because of “rising costs”.
Shoppers complained about the new measure, with one person saying on X: “My local Sainsbury’s has increased the cost of a bag to 40p. 40 B***** PENCE.
“This is totally insane. We will lead the crusade against this tyrannical corporate greed!”
Others described the supermarket as “greedy” and said the bags were a “rip off”.
“This is absolutely ridiculous if I forget my carrier bag it’s their loss just don’t buy anything,” one person said.
Another added: “Funny how these have gone up from 10p. So who’s taking the money from it then.”
One social media shared a photo of a sign in their local store saying ‘Bags for life are now 40p, but you can still exchange your old bags for free’.
A Sainsbury’s spokesperson said: “We’ve kept the price of our Bag for Life the same for three years.
“We recently updated it to balance rising costs and our continued donations to good causes, including initiatives tackling food poverty, which are supported by all profits from the sales.
“Each bag is made from 100% recycled plastic and can be replaced for free when it wears out or is damaged.”
Retailers have been forced by law to charge customers for single-use plastic bags since 2015.
The minimum they must charge is 10p.
Supermarkets, high street shops and takeaways are all required to charge customers as part of efforts to cut down on single-use plastic.
The Government estimated that in 2013 supermarkets gave out over eight billion single-use carrier bags to shoppers across the UK.
But by 2023/24, the reduction in these bags dropped by 98% compared to 2014.
Of course, you can avoid paying the charge by simply bringing your own bags.
You can also get thicker reusable bags for life, which you can return for a free replacement when they wear out.
If you’ve forgotten your bag for life, you might be able to pick up an empty box from the fruit and vegetable section to use instead.
How much do other supermarkets charge?
The Sun previously revealed how much different supermarkets charge for their bags.
Aldi and Co-op are the only supermarkets that still sell 10p single-use bags, but these are compostable.
Co-op’s bag doubles-up as a waste food bin liner, which can then be thrown away.
Prices for supermarkets’ longer-life bag options can vary significantly.
Asda‘s Bag For Life will set you back 40p while Morrisons‘ paper Bag For Life is also 40p.
Morrisons also sells plastic Bags For Life for 60p, and replaces any which are damaged for free.
Lidl, Sainsbury’s and Tesco‘s Bags For Life cost 30p. Aldi sells an Eco-Loop carrier reusable bag for 30p while its Bag For Life is 65p.
Waitrose doesn’t offer shoppers Bags For Life, however they can get thicker reusable bags from £1.
Frozen food specialist Iceland‘s woven reusable bags cost £1.
How to save money on your supermarket shop
THERE are plenty of ways to save on your grocery shop.
You can look out for yellow or red stickers on products, which show when they’ve been reduced.
If the food is fresh, you’ll have to eat it quickly or freeze it for another time.
Making a list should also save you money, as you’ll be less likely to make any rash purchases when you get to the supermarket.
Going own brand can be one easy way to save hundreds of pounds a year on your food bills too.
This means ditching “finest” or “luxury” products and instead going for “own” or value” type of lines.
Plenty of supermarkets run wonky veg and fruit schemes where you can get cheap prices if they’re misshapen or imperfect.
For example, Lidl runs its Waste Not scheme, offering boxes of 5kg of fruit and vegetables for just £1.50.
If you’re on a low income and a parent, you may be able to get up to £442 a year in Healthy Start vouchers to use at the supermarket too.
Plus, many councils offer supermarket vouchers as part of the Household Support Fund.
