A better way than a city 20-cent bag fee

By Jan Gee

As customers passed through the checkout stands of many of our independent grocery stores, the owners and employees asked their customers, "Did you know that the Seattle City Council is proposing a fee of 20 cents on every disposable bag and that starting in January we will have to charge you an additional $xx on this same grocery bill unless you bring in a reusable bag?"

About two out of every three customers responded that they didn't know and eight out of 10 said that they were opposed - many were outraged. An unscientific survey? Yes. But a clear indication of what is to come if our employees have to collect the city's bag tax in January. That is why we have chosen to participate in an effort to bring the Seattle bag tax to a vote of the people.

While we support the environmental goal of the Seattle bag tax wholeheartedly, we feel there is a better way without adding costs to family grocery bills. As an independent grocery industry, we are proposing a program that we believe will achieve significant results and will be a partnership between our local retail businesses, their customers and local government. This campaign will include all retail; not just grocers. If the environmental goal is to decrease the use of disposable bags we feel a more rational and holistic approach will better achieve this goal. Simply taxing a grocery bag is not the answer!

Key elements of the campaign include:

- Private/public sponsorship in developing a logo/slogan to promote the use of reusable bags and distribute to retailers and local government for use in education materials;

- Retailers display reusable bags for sale in a prominent location near checkout counters;

- Retailers sponsor occasional special campaign which include free bag give away events;

- City/county to provide free give away promotions for low income families;

- Retailers provide at least a 5 cent per bag rebate to all customers who bring in reusable bags;

- Retailers place a sign at each entry with a reminder "Did you remember your reusable bag?"

- Retailers provide in-store plastic bag recycling bins prominently located and identified within the store;

- City/county educate citizens that paper and plastic bags can be recycled at curbside;

- Retailers provide in-store education regarding the environmental benefits of reusable bags. Use the logo/slogan on print ads when possible;

- City/county educate the public through their solid waste programs and special campaigns using the same logo/slogan;

- Retailers document the success of increasing the use of reusable bags over a 12 month period by tracking the number of rebates extended to customers and share these statistics with local government.

When we presented this alternative to the Seattle City Council, it was rejected without consideration and we were told that they already had the votes to pass a new fee.

We disagree with the actions of the council and mayor in requiring grocers to add an additional expense onto family grocery bills when viable options were not even considered. We have the confidence in Seattle citizens that when properly educated on the environmental value of reusable bags and given convenient opportunities that they will choose reusable bags - without a new tax/fee. A highly visible education program would soon get them into the habit of reusable.

Our offer to become a partner with the City of Seattle in promoting the use of reusable bags remains a priority for us. At the same time our other priority is to help our customer's control their family grocery costs in every way possible and protect our employees from public backlash when they are forced to implementing a highly controversial tax.

We believe this important public policy decision should be decided by the voters of Seattle. Let's give Seattle's citizens the chance to do the right thing because they should, not because they'll pay if they don't.

Jan Gee is president of the Washington Food Industry and a member of the Coalition To Stop The Seattle Bag Tax

www.StopTheSeattleBagTax.com