I've always wondered.....

[Nick]

Why is it (as seen on TV) that Americans always carry their shopping home in brown paper bags without handles? You know the scene: the phone is ringing as the detective arrives home at the apartment, carrying two over-full bags, trying to juggle the keys while switching on the light nasally and closing the door with a spare foot. Why not have plastic bags with handles? This seems to pre-date any 'green' explanation. Anyone any idea?

[Alan H]

You do think these up! A slow day, was it?

You're right, of course, but I've no idea why!

[Alan C.]

And they always have French sticks protruding out of the top

[Maria Mac]

I want to know why they measure distances in 'blocks' - how long is a block? And why do they think Brits have bad teeth?

[Alan H]

A Manhattan Block is 80 m by 274 m (or 264' by 900' for the old fashioned), but elsewhere it can be as wide as 200 m.

[erasmusinfinity]

It is only in the movies that Americans get only a single overstuffed brown paper bag from the grocery store.

Trying to do my part for the environment, I don't usually accept disposable shopping bags. But as is an honest (and I am not proud to admit it) reality in America, I have to make a special request to prevent the sales people from putting my groceries in disposible bags. The general routine is two place a brown paper bag, sometimes two, inside a single or double plastic bag with handles. This often amounts to a total of as many as four bags serving the purpose of one. The amount of groceries that could fit in one bag are then often split into two bags, or sets of as many as four bags each to a total of eight, so as to make it easier for the customer to carry. Then, most Americans cart these bags out to their car (perhaps an SUV) and place them in the trunk to drive home.

[Fia]

Try a trip to a supermarket in France, erasmusinfinity! No bags of any variety. Though admittedly there was always the inevitable baguette, Alan C . It only takes one trip to know to take your own bags. I had many odd looks in the US this summer with my cheerful selection of bags I brought with me I'd like to see supermarkets selling compostable panniers to use on my bicycle.

I was shocked at how hard it was to shop without driving in the US - paper bags are fine when you have transport, far less practical when you walk or cycle to shop. Green? Don't think so...

[jaywhat]

- why, on a film or a soap, if a character has to get a suitcase out of a car and carry it into a house, it is always quite obviously empty.

[Alan H]

'elf and safety, mate.

[Alan C.]

Our local Co-op have stopped putting plastic carrier bags on the checkouts (although they are both, reusable and biodegradable) They will give them out if asked, but they're trying to wean people off them, we use two quite large hessian bags.

[MedMae]

I've always used a rucksack for most of my shopping. It's easier.

[Paolo]

They charge for plastic grocery bags in Ireland and it's amazing how few you now see stuck in trees or floating down the street. It's an idea they should introduce everywhere - a tax on forgetfulness and laziness...

[Alan H]

I've always used a rucksack for most of my shopping. It's easier.

We don't have one big enough...

[Gottard]

quite large hessian bags.

I know Hessian boots but not Hessian bags; what do they look like?

Paolo, you have not told us about your Irish wedding!

amazing how few you now see stuck in trees or floating down the street

Still worse in Sicily a couple of years ago; a friend took me in his motorboat and the engine (a weak one) stopped two times when the prop. was entangled with plastic bags!

[Alan C.]

peneasy
I know Hessian boots but not Hessian bags; what do they look like?

Like this one peneasy, they expand quite a bit as you fill them, so they hold a lot.

[Val]

sure those bags expand a lot and hold a lot but then I can't lift them from the trolly to my car, nor from the car to the house, weakling that I am.

[Gottard]

AlanC,
I didn't know about this sac (Hessian bag) although I visited great many supermarkets in the UK (mainly Manchester, Ealing, Reading) unless they are very recent.
Pity I am retired or I would introduce them in CH and IT.

[Maria Mac]

Yes, they are very recent, Elio. I only noticed and bought mine this year, from Tesco.

[lewist]

Tesco gave me mine for free, Maria!

Going back to Nick's original question, in my experience there is often a packer at the checkout in an American supermarket and they will ask, paper or plastic? You just tell them and you either get the recycled paper bags or plastic carrier bags, whichever you ask for.

Fia, the American way of life revolves round the car. In many parts of the USA there is no public transport which makes life pretty hard for those unable to drive.