Reusable bags are widely considered to be more environmentally friendly. However, they might not be all that they're cracked up to be. Cotton bags, for instance, have to be used at least 7,100 times to be considered a credible alternative to the more traditional plastic bag.
A United Nations Environmental Programme 2020 report found that the woven-style polypropylene (PP) bag needs to be used 10 to 20 times to match up against a single-use carrier bag. Furthermore, smaller but still reusable polyethylene (PE) bags need to be used five to 10 times.
Still, in the interest of being more eco-conscious, many of us avoid single-use plastic bags when we go grocery shopping. But one Target worker has issued a TikTok PSA for customers to do the opposite.
In the clip, which has amassed 27,500 views, Easton (@www.easton.com) shared a selfie at work. In the caption, they wrote, "If it's busy, please don't bring your reusable bag." The implication of this is that, presumably, customers bagging items with their own reusable bags takes longer and is less efficient for the worker at the checkout counter.
But the advice left commenters divided.
"I bag my own items, I'll use what I want," one wrote.
"If they charge me extra for bags from the store, I'm bringing my own," another added.
Fellow retail workers, on the other hand, empathized with Easton. A further commenter claimed that it "ruins [her] day when people put their reusable bags on the belt."
Target didn't immediately respond to the Daily Dot's request for comment via email.
This isn't the first time this Target employee has captivated TikTok. On Aug. 27, in the midst of a heatwave, the worker went viral for calling out Target for "doing A/C energy conservations during the hottest time of the day."
Meanwhile, on Aug. 8, the creator issued a PSA telling parents to stop "abusing" the retailer's 1-year Cat and Jack kids clothes return policy. "Overall, I really enjoy my job at Target," he said in an emailed statement. "Like any job, there are ups and downs, but I generally have a positive experience working here. "
In an emailed statement to the Daily Dot, Easton said, "When it’s busy, customers using reusable bags can slow down the line because we need to hold the bag open and place items inside, which takes longer than using our standard bags."
"Often, customers who bring reusable bags will bag their own items, which helps a bit but still causes a delay," Easton said. "While I completely understand the importance of reducing plastic use, I wanted to highlight the impact this has on checkout efficiency."
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