The new 60c charge for paper bags at Brown Thomas has been branded 'ludicrous' by some customers. Brown Thomas Arnotts brought in the charge last week in partnership with the charity Crann – Trees for Ireland. The retail group says the new fee will help the charity plant 100,000 trees across Ireland over the next decade.
The charge applies in all Brown Thomas, BT2, Planet Beauty and Arnotts stores. The company says customers can opt for the Brown Thomas or Arnotts bags in three sizes or they can use their own paper bags. Caller Lynn told Lunchtime Live she is against charging for paper bags.
"I think it's daft," she said. "It's technically free advertising." "People proudly walk down the street with their Dunnes Stores bag put into their Brown Thomas bag.
"It's free advertising and I just think it seems ludicrous. "I wasn't aware of the contribution to the charity - I think that's a lovely idea - but why don't they just do that themselves rather than expect us to do it for them?" Lynn said she believes the move is a cynical one by the retailer. "The plastic bag [levy] is completely different because there's a whole environmental story around that – but paper bags are by their very nature environmentally friendly," she said.
"People proudly wear their paper bags and reuse them so I just feel it's very cynical of Brown Thomas to say, 'We're doing this great initiative but in fact you're all paying for it'. "I will choose who I will make a charitable contribution to myself. .