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LETTER: With plastic banned, businesses should absorb costs of paper bags

‘Asinine’ for businesses to charge customers for biodegradable bags
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Following the City of Surrey’s ban on stores dispensing plastic bags, it is ‘asinine’ to charge customers for biodegradable paper bags, writes Stanley Nozick. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

Editor:

Recently, I had occasion to shop at one of our local drugstores and was shocked that in order to transport my purchases I was being charged 25 cents per bag.

It has since come to my attention that most of the big chain stores have adopted the same policy.

While I had come to terms with paying for plastic bags, ostensibly to help save the environment, it seems to me to be asinine to charge for biodegradable paper bags.

When one keeps in mind the amount one is paying for groceries and pharmaceuticals, these companies should absorb the costs of paper bags, rather than use them as a cash grab.

While it can be argued one should remember to bring a reusable bag, remember these were frowned upon during the recent COVID-19 pandemic because of hygienic concerns.

Stanley Nozick, Surrey