Council To Trial On The Spot Fines For People Who Go Shopping Without A Used Carrier Bag

Recent media reports have told how the council are planning to bring in a law which will require dog walkers to carry poo bags with them at all times, or face a £75 on the spot fine. But the powers to be are not stopping there.

Wales First
Following the success of the 5p carrier bag charge scheme, coupled with the fact that Wales likes to be first in everything like this these days, the Rhondda is to be the first place in the UK to introduce an on the spot fine for people who go shopping without a used carrier bag.

We beat the English
Since the introduction of the 5p carrier bag scheme back in 2011, the number of single-use plastic carrier bags have declined by more than 70%, making Wales again a pioneer in something new, the scheme was quickly followed by other parts of the UK, including the English who Wales also beat to be first in banning smoking in indoor public places.

Fine
The on the spot fine for not being able to produce a used carrier bag whilst out shopping will be trialled in all areas of Rhondda Cynon Taf in the summer, and if the scheme proves successful it will be rolled out to all other areas of Wales pretty sharpish, with the main aim to cut down the number of carrier bags in circulation and maybe make a few quid for the charitys that currently benefit from the 5p carrier bag charge.

My Rhondda News, who are first to learn about this plan, asked a council spokesperson how the scheme will work, she told us, “Enforcement officers will have the authority to approach anyone who appears to be out shopping, and ask them to produce evidence that they either have bags or other means to carry home their shopping. An offence is committed if the shopper is unable to show the enforcement officer that they have that means.”

Mental
Local Shopper, Stella Van, told My Rhondda News, “It’s absolutely ridiculous really, I recycle my carrier bags by using them as poo bags, does this mean I’m going to be fined for using a carrier bag as a poo bag, ‘cos it’s not a proper poo bag, and get another fine for not having any carrier bags left to go shopping with because I used them all to pick up poo? Mental.”

63 responses to “Council To Trial On The Spot Fines For People Who Go Shopping Without A Used Carrier Bag”

Its my choice to buy a bag!!

9th Feb 2017

This is appalling!!! Want to leave the area anyway. Think this swayed me!! Rct council pile of poop!!!

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Anonymous

9th Feb 2017

I think they should make dual compartment bags, one for dog poo and one for food then everyone will be happy.

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Tony

9th Feb 2017

Absolutely disgraceful. What muppet came up with this idea. A muppet that we are paying wages too.!!!!!!

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Susan jenkins

9th Feb 2017

What a load of twaddle again by RCT just an excuse to make money out of people again pity they wouldn’t concentrate on the things that are supposed to be in place. My daughter-in-law has been waiting three and a half months for a bin and bags for the nappy recycling after a number of phone calls and they keep saying will get this done asap. But still nothing.

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1. Ronnie Twaddle
  
  9th Feb 2017
  
  Please don’t bring my name into it. I don’t make the rules.
  
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Shadwell Smith

9th Feb 2017

Fair play glad to see my taxes are going to good use.

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Jeff finlay

9th Feb 2017

How so ridiculous.
Enforcement officers have no authority to get your name from you. What they gonna do phone the police, oh hold the police have no authority also to have your name unless they believe a crime ( criminal)as it is likely to take place .
Is this a joke 😂😂😂.

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Dawn

9th Feb 2017

Bloody ridiculous !!!!! Disgusting take you to court for not having a carrier bag !!!!!! Trying to get money out of us all ways the robbing bastards !!!!

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Michael Owen

9th Feb 2017

What a brilliant idea, another example of our forward thinking local authority taking the bull by the horns and leading the rest of wales. Makes me proud ! ..

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Anonymous

9th Feb 2017

Is it April fools day?

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Debbie

9th Feb 2017

Ridiculous ! So if you load shopping from trolley to car boot without a bag ???? Do these officers have power to search if carrier bags are in somebody’s handbag?

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Howard Ellwood

9th Feb 2017

These nutters need locking up, so if you go for a stroll through pontypridd town as people do,the used bag coppers are gonna try and Rob u ov your hard earned money. When there’s a law to say, these pretend law enforcement knob heads have the rite to search you because they suspect your not carrying a used carrier bag. Never in a million years would that stand up in court. Total bell ends who ever thought ov this. Love to be the 1st one they come across

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Bill

9th Feb 2017

Will you be find double for Window Shopping

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Tracey

9th Feb 2017

Another stupid thing thought of by another idiot!

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Anonymous

9th Feb 2017

If you are caught shopping without a bag you’ve only yourself to blame. RCT are going to especially keep an eye on BumBargains, the Pound shop and 99p Max. Don’t take a chance, carry a used bag.

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Julie

9th Feb 2017

So what happens if u go through town with no intentions of buying anything,i get fined for not having a bag even tho im not going to be spending money,get a grip bunch of tossers,those court summons they send out are fraudulent bcoz councils are not allowed to send out summons,the justice clerk of wales doesnt sign them they are photocopied,even if they have permission off the court,the court then is commiting fraud,both getting money by deceit,they hire a room and the clerks for the day,these people know nothing about your case which means they are in dereliction of duty which is a maladministration charge,rct is as corrupt as they come

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1. Steve Van
  
  9th Feb 2017
  
  The trick is not to appear like you’re going shopping, maybe carry a ladder or something so you look like you’re working.
  
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Paul thomas

9th Feb 2017

So is it now LAW that you HAVE to put your shopping in bags ,

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sjones

9th Feb 2017

How do you get a used carrier bag ?????? Surely you have to buy a new one 1st. Ridiculous decision.

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Huw Jarse

9th Feb 2017

Well done RCT. Good to see some common sense thinking prevailing.

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Simon

9th Feb 2017

It’s satire for Christ’s sake! Lighten up😂

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Anonymous

9th Feb 2017

I occasionally do a bit of window shopping on the weekend and don’t carry bags as I know I have no money to buy anything. Does this mean I’m going to get fined? Also if I know I need one thing in particular I won’t take bags as I know I can carry what I want back to the car… really can’t see how they can enforce this…

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Steve ellis

9th Feb 2017

Rct. They’re are waste of authority.
Rct are a labour council.
Another reason not to vote labour.
Rct are a dictatorship.

What am I council tax for.
Name and shame the person/persons who came up with this idea.
Rct should work out how to reduce council tax. Business rates and scrap bedroom tax.
Rct are not a forward thinking authority. Sadly still stuck in the dark ages.
Let’s get rid of Rct once and for all .
Let community run themselves.
Council tax is now cash cow.

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Ivor Badger

9th Feb 2017

If anyone wants used bags we have plenty in our bag draw in the kitchen. At least 300 at last count.

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Anonymous

9th Feb 2017

I like the idea of 5p to charity but where’s the proof it goes there

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Elinor

9th Feb 2017

It isn’t law that we use used bags, it’s law to buy one if you haven’t got one, try me rct, I will take you all the way……

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Gaye Caffell

9th Feb 2017

What a time of waste and money. My shopping goes trolly to boot. How are they going to in force this???

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Marie

9th Feb 2017

How will they know if someone’s shopping or just browsing?

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Anonymous

9th Feb 2017

Omg …. what a joke I pay enough council tax to you lot . I can remember when we all used our own shopping bags !! This was until the shops wanted to advertise !!

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Lee

9th Feb 2017

Invasion of privacy for one!
You may be buying a few items and not need a bag at all.
Or like myself, purchase a trolly full of goods and then bag them at the car.
Disgraceful policy!!!!

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Laughing Girl

9th Feb 2017

The people commenting on here are madder than the writers of this hilarious article!! They probably all get caught by an April Fool Joke too!!!

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Evan James

9th Feb 2017

oh no, does this mean I’ll get sent to prison for forgetting to pick up a carrier from the boot??
Well at least it means I get out of doing the weekly shop. Silver lining and all that….

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Hanner Price

9th Feb 2017

Don’t see what all the fuss is about. Always practice safe shopping and never leave the house without something to wrap it up in

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Anonymous

9th Feb 2017

What an absolute waste of money. What are the officials thinking of.
Stop wasting money on “official” buffets and get real.

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Irene pearce

9th Feb 2017

Maybe they’d like to put a chain on our leg so they can keep tabs on us ridiculous

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Jeff Lewis

9th Feb 2017

This is absolutely absurd! How can they show intent. It’s not illegal to buy a carrier bag and it’s not illegal to go out browsing and not buy anything. What if my wife has room in her enormous handbag for the often 1/2 things we want in Lidl…whoever thought of this incentive….needs to think again. Councillors need a good shaking. If need be, Leanne Wood talk some sense into RCT. I hope this is a hoax, im so angered by this ridiculous idea! If you don’t want people to leave home without a carrier then ask The Welsh Government to make it illegal to sell plastic carriers. I’m sure we’ve all got plenty to last us a lifetime. I used to be proud to live in the Rhondda! Questionable now!

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Carl Kasinski

9th Feb 2017

You’re joking!
I’m not happy about that…

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Anonymous

10th Feb 2017

get a grip what r they going to do sit outside every shop supermarket petrol garage just to fine them because they not using a bag to go shopping get a life Caroline xx and I always take poo bags and wet wipes

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Susanne

10th Feb 2017

It isn’t that difficult to carry a shopping bag. I remember my grandmother and her generatio never went shopping without one

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Bazz41

10th Feb 2017

Well lets get one thing straight here the 5p charge for carrier bags was brought in to stop them going to land fill sights as they they take 50 years to break down that’s (plastic) bags this is before the council had there recycleing scheme now they make vast amounts of money out of it and you or I will be fined

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Bazz41

10th Feb 2017

If we don’t recycle . Now do we get any thing out of recycleing ( apart from a fine ) no . We should have council tax reduced for recycleing and get something out of it . Now what a joke this is .

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Anonymous

10th Feb 2017

Absolutely ridiculous try repairing the roads they want to sick of paying out for new car parts every couple of months muppets the lot of them fines for not carrying bags

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Anonymous

10th Feb 2017

Come, too stupid to be true, but there again, this council have been known for it’s stupidity lol

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Bazz41

10th Feb 2017

And as bags now get recycled not buryied they should be free

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1. GWP
  
  10th Feb 2017
  
  U people saying its a disgrace, RCT are the devil etc know its meant to be a joke right? Or you too busy trying to resurrect Dirty Den or petitioning the government to free Deidre Barlow?
  
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Jeremy Jones

10th Feb 2017

I love Stella Van and I want the world to know it.

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C.O.

10th Feb 2017

I use my carrier bags for rubbish at home saves buying black bags.
Why dont shops stock paper bags like America. If shopping for a few item use a paper bag. It will be easily deposed of. Use reusable bags for big shops.

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Richard

10th Feb 2017

Representing the public or robbing them?

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Gmg

10th Feb 2017

This a load of nonsense…not happening

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rob

10th Feb 2017

To impose a fine there would have to be a law to break and I’m not aware of one requiring the carrying or use of used bags for shopping.

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Bahaha

11th Feb 2017

This is hilarious 😂😂😂

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Wobblybrain

12th Feb 2017

I think they should fine for people who use the wrong bags in the wrong shops. Especially people who take M & S Bags to Lidl and Aldis and pretend to their neighbours they are posh, that is disgraceful. A large fine and a week in prison should sort it, and their food should confiscated and donated to food banks. If you shopping in Tescos use a Tesco bag, or you could be shoplifting and pretending you bought it in Asdas.

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1. Steve
  
  13th Feb 2017
  
  I think this is a brilliant point Wobbybrain, of course the opposite is also a problem, my mother in law doesn’t give a shite what people think of her and takes Lidl bags to M & S, so embarrassing, I won’t go there with her unless she takes more upper class carriers.
  
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alan

12th Feb 2017

Take a look at McDonald’s, they charge 5p for a non re-usable, non-handled, paper bag, and that money doesn’t go to the local councils or charity, straight as profit, and nobody does a thing, same scenario, rat could do this, and although we may moan about it, we will never do anything about it.

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