How many NJ people are happy about the bag ban? (Opinion)

Here we are about five months into the total bag ban at New Jersey supermarkets and there are all sorts of adjustment complaints.

One of the complaints comes from the supermarkets.

Most of them have had to purchase new hand baskets because some shoppers didn't bother to bring in their own bags. So, they figure they'll just take the basket home with them and reuse the basket the next time they return to shop.

I witnessed one woman scolding a 19-year-old cashier when she asked the woman to not bring the basket out of the store.

She could have spent 97 cents for a reusable bag but instead decided to verbally abuse the young assistant manager/cashier for doing her job.

Or how about the dad trying to juggle his items while still attempting to hold the hand of his 3-year-old daughter?

He forgot to bring in his reusable shopping bag. I gave him one of the single-use plastic bags I stuff in my back pocket when I go to the store.

A lot of the griping has settled down, but the main complaint now is cashiers refusing to bag the groceries in the reusable bags while the items stack up on the counter.

In some cases, the line is held up while the customer scrambles to bag their stuff, and sometimes the cashier will just start ringing up the next customer.

It's all pointless and now there is a debate and a plea from some stores to allow them to offer paper bags.

One of our callers pointed out last week that he's noticed less of the so-called "single-use" plastic bags floating in the bay this boating and fishing season.

That's certainly a positive sign, although completely anecdotal.

Many boaters will pick them up if they see them on the water and dispose of them properly, but whatever.

Will the state at least bring back paper bags to make things a little saner and more normal?

We'll have to wait and see.

Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Dennis Malloy only.

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