There seems to be some confusion among retail staff as to what exactly the new plastic bag law means. Quite simply, it means that if a customer doesn’t bring his/her own bag then you charge 5 cents per bag. If a client brings their own bag, it does not absolve the retail staff of the obligation of putting the purchased merchandise in the bag.

I had an unpleasant experience in a store last week because of the new plastic bag law. I was shopping in a popular discount retail store in Yorkville that shall remain nameless – they carry clothing, accessories, and housewares. I went to the cash with my purchases and the cashier asked if I wanted to purchase a bag. I replied that I didn’t need one and took my bag out and placed it on the counter. I proceeded to complete my transaction via debit and the cashier walked away with my items still on the counter. I politely asked her to please put my items in the bag and in a very rude and arrogant tone she informed me that she didn’t have to. I decided to draw my line in the sand and asked for a supervisor. No response. In the meantime people were lining up. I asked again for a supervisor. No response. I repeated my request 5 times until the cashier finally called for a supervisor, not out of a desire to comply with my request, but because the line was very long and I was not going to budge. The supervisor arrived and asked what the problem was. I recounted the story and she turned many colours of anger. With great poise she turned to the cashier and informed her in a very subdued tone that whether a client brings a bag or purchases one, the cashier will place the purchases in the bag. She then apologized to me, put my items in the bag and informed me that she would deal with the cashier later.

Each time I recounted the story to one of my friends, they have each told me that they have had the same experience. Where on earth does someone get the idea that because you bring your own bag according to the new law that means self-serve when it comes to putting items in the bag? And, what happened to the basic concept of customer service? Have you found that Toronto’s new plastic bag law caused a decline in customer service?