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I’ve joined the ranks of old ladies and homeless people everywhere by buying myself a shopping cart.
Carrefour, one of the biggest chain supermarkets/one-stop-shopping stores in Spain, recently made the decision to stop giving plastic bags to its customers under the assumption that less bags is friendlier for the environment. In fact, the whole “bag debate” has been going on for quite a while in Spain. Truthfully, I don’t really know if the stores are using less (or no) plastic bags because they genuinely care about the environment or if they are just doing so because it cuts down on costs. In any event, that’s not really the reason I’m writing this post….
As a result of Carrefour no longer giving out plastic shopping bags to its customers, I have had to become a bit “innovative” in figuring out a way to get my weekly grocery order home from the store (remember, I don’t have a car to take my groceries home in). In Spain, a lot of older ladies — the “señoras,” if you will – use rolling shopping carts like the one pictured above to carry their items from the store to their homes. Since the whole “rollable cart” idea is so popular here amongst the older ladies, I thought I would give it a whirl. So, just a few weeks ago, I decided to buy my very own, green shopping cart to help me carry my items home from the store (it’s the cart pictured above, isn’t it a beauty?).
Now I have my new, glorious, green shopping cart. There’s just one problem: in the States, the only people who push shopping carts around in the streets are homeless people. Thus, when I told some of my friends and family members back home that I bought a shopping cart to transport my groceries, I got the obvious chuckle and questions such as, “Do you carry around a blanket and a pillow in it too?”
So, my dear readers, my question to you is the following. Do you think that my cart makes me look like a homeless person (or like a retiree)? Please leave your thoughts in the comment section below. I’d also be interested in hearing your reaction to Carrefour’s decision to stop giving plastic bags to its customers. Do you think this was done out of true concern for the environment or just to cut down on the store’s costs? Thanks in advance for sharing your opinion!
Hasta luego,
–Chris
http://abroadinspain.com
I live in Spain and see men with carts all the time. It´s no big deal. I certainly wouldn´t let the misguided opinion of others impact my part in doing good for the environment.
As for the elimination of bags, I doubt Carrefour did it to save money. They´ve launched what appears to be a spendy ad campaign and have been giving out free large grocery tote bags to customers (so far they´ve given us five during our visits).
@Marie – I’m glad to hear you don’t consider me a homeless person (hehe). And as far as saving money, you’re right… Carrefour did launch a big ad campaign; still, in the long run, they will earn revenue on the bags they sell and won’t be spending any more money on plastic bags. I don’t know, when I worked at Wal-Mart in the states they had the plastic bag expense very well-calculated and even told the cashiers how many bags to hand out… it makes me wonder if Carrefour isn’t going to end up saving money in the long run.
Other comments from other readers??
Chris, this is hilarious. I, too, shop at Carrefour and have bought their bags. I have car though, so it hasn’t affected me so much. I just have more reusable bags than I need because it took me a while to remember to bring them inside when I went shopping. I certainly think they have probably made a lot of money off of all those reusable shopping bags at the registers. I do have to say, however, if they didn’t use so many plastic bags to seal up any purchases you bring inside, or so many plastic gloves, in the produce section and at the gas pump, maybe we could still have free plastic bags at the registers! As to your first question…retiree!
@Ashleigh – You bring up a good point. If Carrefour really wanted to help the environment, why wouldn’t they do something about the plastic gloves in the fruit section or the bags they use to seal items you are bringing into the store? Perhaps they could make those things biodegradable? Of course, that could increase their costs…..
On another note, thanks for your vote for retiree.
hehehe, retiree indeed! I think the problem is the look of the cart… you have to get one with a funky pattern – pronto! Having said that, I do need to get one myself asap and probably the standard old fashioned colour will have to do. So I’ll join you in the retirees army in no time
Regarding cost vs environmental conscience, definitely cost. However, as Tesco would put it, every little helps! Probably globes and the sealing bags will go next – legislation will change and they’ll have no choice. right now they are just trying hard to change people’s perception of carrier bags, and marketing hard the environment idea, so that clients don’t blame them for eliminating their beloved carrier bags. My granny will probably cry bitter tears when they disappear!!
Hi! Good to read you again!
I don’t think you look like a homeless because of using a cart… I don’t like them and always used to carry the bags but now I’ll have to buy a reusable bag… But if you prefer the cart to those bags, why not? I don’t think Carrefour does that in order to save money because every supermarket will have to do the same in a few time. They are going to pass a law about that (I think it’s something for the hole of Europe). The thing is that Carrefour did it first and that way they appear to be “cool and eco-friendly” hahahahah
@Londoner – haha Thanks for your suggestion about getting one with a funky pattern, I thought about going that route, but the drab solid ones were much less expensive than the “designer” ones, so I went for a solid one.
@Londoner and Victor – Thanks for making the legislation point… I actually didn’t realize that they were going to be changing the law about that. Does anyone know when that law will go into effect? Is it a long way off yet? Just curious…
I’ve been “researching” a bit and apparently it’s not a European Law, it’s just that different countries have started planning the dissapearance of plastic bags. In Spain they are going to force a reduction of 50% in 2010.
It’s ok because they are not eco-friendly but on the other hand a lot of people (including me) used them as garbage bags and now we will have to buy them… hahahha
Take a look: http://www.elpais.com/articulo/sociedad/Adios/bolsa/plastico/elpepisoc/20090713elpepisoc_6/Tes
@Victor – Thanks a lot for the info and for pasting the link here.
Oh! Chris… if you liked a cart with a funky pattern why don’t you customize yours?? hahahah I’ve seen people who draws patterns or whatever in carts like yours (not “señoras” but young people who might have bought cheaper solid carts like yours) hahahahah You may find your lost vocation as a shopping cart designer! hahahhahaha
@Victor – The customization thing isn’t a bad idea… it could be like the MTV show “Pimp my Ride.” However, we’d have to call this version of the show “Pimp my Grocery Cart.” I could even start my own business, “Chris’s Custom Carts.” I think you’re onto something!
If the bussiness goes well I want my part of the earnings! hahahahha
This post made me laugh, because I live in Australia and until recently, did not own a car either. My housemates were all in the same boat, but we were all too proud to buy a trolley because in our suburban area its considered funny. But in the inner-city Melbourne suburbs they are all the rage! Anyway, as somene who has been in your situation, I sympathise!
They’ve quite move to eliminate plastic bags in Spain. Get used to using the reusable ones. There’s nothing wrong with the cart though. Everyone has them around here. You see them in the stores, in the markets, at cafes… they’re all over the place. It’s either that or hoof your reusable bags home by hand. You can’t even get plastic bags at Carrefour now.
@Violet – Thank you for your sympathy. I’m glad to know that someone else is in my boat. Really it’s not so bad, the whole “cart situation” here in Spain isn’t all that abnormal, so I guess I kinda “fit in.”
@Brad – At least in my Carrefour, you can buy plastic “biodegradable” bags for about five cents each… The problem is they’re of pretty poor quality. The cart seems to work much better for me. And you’re right, carts aren’t really that uncommon here in Spain.
I recently bought one of those carts about a month ago. Although, it doesn’t look so stylish for a 20′s American expat to be pushing around, it is quite useful. After using it I thought of how much hassle it saved me from my previous trips lugging several bags down the street. I wonder how I ever did without. I was also thinking of sewing on decals or patches, but haven’t made up my mind yet. As for the price saving vs. eco-friendly changes, I think it has more to do with the costs. I have even seen some stores charge for plastic now, that previously didn’t.
@Cara – I have to agree with you. After buying the cart, I realized just how useful it really is — especially for someone like me who doesn’t have a car. I also found myself asking how I had done without one in the past.