Woolworths‘ temporary reversal of its single-use plastic bag ban has sent a clear message: it doesn’t matter how clearly you explain that flimsy plastic bags will no longer be offered at supermarkets, because shoppers will still have a moan about it.
Coles seems to have taken that lesson on board. The supermarket giant is preparing to enact its own single-use bag ban on July 1, and have now announced that every single checkout in affected stores will be open on that date to cope with expected delays.
In a statement obtained by News.com.au, a Coles spokesperson said all checkouts will be open between 10am and 6pm at stores in Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland, and Western Australia.
The headaches aren’t expected to end there, with the spokesperson saying extra checkouts will be open for a week afterwards between 9am and 9pm in VIC and NSW, and between 9am and 7pm in QLD and WA.
As wild as it sounds, the extra manpower may be justified.
When South Australia banned single-use plastic bags back in 2009, the author of this article was a service assistant at a suburban Adelaide Coles.
Let me assure you that some people are sincerely incapable of adjusting to a reality where bags cost 15c, and that they will be unnecessarily stroppy to disinterested but innocent 17-year-olds as a result.
Don’t just take it from us, either. The Shop, Distributive & Allied employees’ association – AKA retail union the SDA – has issued a statement calling on folks to avoid hurling abuse at supermarket workers as a result of the ban.
“Retail workers should not have to bear the brunt of any abusive behaviour, just for following the new rules,” said SDA national secretary Gerard Dwyer.
To all of you brave checkout workers out there: may your Service Priority Ones be few and far between, and may Mr Steed always be at your side.
