I fear that this isn’t significant enough for the pit, but I am becomimg increasingly pissed off by one of our major supermakets: Marks and Spencer (M & S) to wit.
Just to make it clear, M & S are a wonder. It’s only one aspect of their food departments that I have an issue with. They supply a huge range of mouthwatering ready meals and high quality food and wines, but recently have joined the ‘save the planet from plastic carrier bags’ syndrome. Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m as keen as the next man to stop our kids being fried, drowned and asphixiated by global warming, nor do I want to see them drowning in a sea of non biodegradeable substances, but I’m damned if I’m going to be bullied into doing it.
You see, what those pompous prats have decided is, if you don’t bring your own carrier bags, they fine you by charging you 5p for one of theirs. It’s not the money, by the way, it’s the principle. Sometimes, I’m just passing and want to impulse buy a few things, and no, Mr Smartypants, I haven’t thought to stuff a selection of carrier bags into my trouser pockets. So I get to the till, and the smarmy cashier says, “Have you brought your bags?”, and all the other people in the queue are sniggering at my lack of greeness when I say no.
So I’m embarrassed, but I’m not going to give in and pay for one of the damn bags. So I pile up my purchases in my arms against my chest, and because your (non recyclable, for god’s sake) packaging is leaking, I’m getting a multicoloured stain dribbling down my chest.
By this stage, I’m totally regretting even stepping into your emporium. But I’m not giving up: I’m a man of principle who isn’t going to be browbeaten by your corporate bullying. So, stained, and bloodied, but with head held high, I stagger into the British high street.
So, why can’t you do what one of our other supermarkets do, and pay me points on my card when I bring my own bags? You see, they’ve got it the right way round: reward me for being a goody-two-shoes, not castigate me for not doing it your way. Reward not punishment.
Do you Yanks have to put up with this sort of holier-than-thou attitude, or is it just us miserable Brits?