plastic bags

I totally agree about food packaging being too much, but I also think that clothing shops have just jumped on the band wagon to save money on bags. Even those shops who used to give fully recyclable paper carrier bags have stopped doing so in many cases.

If you've paid a lot for a new item of clothing then having it presented nicely to you to carry home is part of the pleasure of the purchase.

I bought a jumper in John Lewis and said no to the plastic bag, but none the less it was folded and wrapped in tissue. However, a satin nightdress in another department store was scrunched-up and thrust at me. That disinterested shop assistant soured my treat to myself and the nightdress went back a few days later.

Paper bags are all very well and good if you only have a couple of light items or are loading them straight into he boot of a car. I think we sometimes forget that many people have to use public transport (or walk) to and from shopping trips. Paper bags would be useless as they cannot take the weight that a plastic bag can. I use those heavy duty, woven "bags for life" but do occasionally forget to take one with me.

I buy all fruit, salad and vegetables from our market, where nothing is wrapped in plastic and they still use paper bags.
Supermarket fresh foods are pre-packed in plastic to increase their shelf-life. Cucumbers last twice as long when plastic-coated, someone on the radio said.

I always take off any plastic wrapping from say cucumbers or broccoli as soon as i get home. I'm sure some horrible stuff leaks from the plastic into the food chain. I am not of a scientific bent and I have limited, if any, knowledge of such things. I feel like my grannie, she'd have removed the plastic I feel sure.

gillybob, I'd meant paper bags to put your apples in, then the various items into your heavy woven bag for life, not those big paper sacks they use in the USA.
I always bought at our local green grocer (shop closed) or the market but found the market veg and fruit had a very short shelf line once I got it home.