Dallas' New Bag Fee Causing Confusion For Shoppers & Retailers
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DALLAS (CBS 11 NEWS) - The question at check-out for some Dallas shoppers is no longer paper or plastic, it's whether to pay a fee or bring your own bags.
From cloth reusable bags, to department store bags, to paper bags from other grocery stores, to no bags at all - many customers on Tuesday at the Kroger on Mockingbird in Dallas avoided the city's new bag fee.
Sam Shearian brought in a 32-gallon heavy-duty trash bag to haul his groceries out of the store.
"Since the Dallas City Council decided that they should tell me how to take my groceries home, this is all I am left with," he said.
David Lane of Dallas, who prides himself on being an informed consumer, said he thought he too was going to avoid the bag fee when he asked for a paper bag at Sprouts.
Some grocery stores in Dallas like Whole Foods and Central Market are not charging its customers the $.05 fee for their paper bags. According to the stores, their handled paper bags meet the city's reuable bag criteria (must has handles, able to be use a hundred times with a 16-pound load).
However, Sprouts, which offers a similar looking bag applies the city bag fee to its paper bags.
"It's the same bag – just a different name on it," said Lane. "Nobody knows the law. Nobody around Dallas knows the whole law. I don't even think the City can explain the law."
Dallas Councilman Dwaine Caraway, who pushed for the new bag rules, said there's always some confusion that comes along with change.
However, Caraway said he believes the majority of people in Dallas are embracing the new rules.
On Tuesday, the Wal-Mart near I-35 and Loop 12 in south Dallas sold out of its reusable bags.
Kroger spokesman Gary Huddleston said despite what he said has been mainly negative feedback from customers about the new rules, sales of reusable bags in the past four days are up roughly 30%.
Caraway said people are catching-on. "All you have to do is get the reusable bag and bring it to the grocery store with you and put your groceries in it for free."
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