What Is The Impact of Bag Bans and Fees on Business?
Bag bans are popping up all over, how will it impact your business?
How Do Bag Bans and Fees Impact Business?
Single-use bag bans and fees do not have a significant impact on retail business and in fact, can lower costs. People need to purchase groceries and other goods regardless of a ban, so while there may be a period of adjustment, ultimately things will go on as normal.
A common criticism of single-use bag bans and fees is that an ordinance will drive consumers away – the claim is residents will shop in nearby areas where there is no similar law, but there is no evidence to back this claim up. People are very adaptable and while a law regulating the use of disposable bags may take some getting used to and may temporally cause consumers to complain, ultimately people will realize the new single-use bag law is not inconvenient, and they will continue to shop at the stores impacted by the ban.
A New Bag Law is a New Beginning
If you own a retail business impacted by a law regulating single-use bags, the key to successfully implementing the law lies in educating your staff. Unfortunately, once a bag ban or fee is passed the day-to-day task of implementing the law falls to local stores and their staff, and this is the group that has to educate the public if necessary.
The key to ensuring the disposable bag ban transition goes as smoothly as possible is to make sure retail employees are completely up to speed and they know which bags are banned, which are allowed, and which bags (if any) incur a fee. Informed employees can help shoppers navigate the new law, mitigate any issues, and make the entire process as easy as possible.
How to Make a Disposable Bag Ban Work for Your Business
If you practice business in an area with a recently passed ban or fee research the specifics of your local law and make sure you follow all of the new rules. For instance, the fine print of some laws mandates retail stores to post signs in the parking lot or near the entrances reminding customers to bring their reusable bags.
CHECK OUT THE BAG BANS AND FEES IMPLEMENTED WORLDWIDE ON OUR INTERACTIVE BAG BAN MAP!
Even if your city’s ban does not call for signs to be posted this is something worth considering since it will help shoppers make the transition. Stick to the new law, but also look for ways to help customers adapt. Your customers will see and appreciate your efforts and this will endear your brand to them.
Market Your Brand with Reusable Shopping Bags
The best news of all is that a bag ban gives you the chance to promote your business right on the very reusable shopping bags your customers will be using over and over again. These reusable bags will be in higher demand and last for 3 to 5 years as opposed to single-use plastic bags.
Creating customized reusable grocery bags is a great way to spread the word about your brand and help out residents leading up to the ban going into action and after the ban is up and running. You might even want to think about handing out custom-branded bags to residents before the ban begins as a way to help people build their collection of reusable shopping bags and increase your brand awareness.
In areas with disposable bag bans and fees, consumers report that it takes some time and is slightly frustrating remembering to bring their reusable grocery bags when they head to the store, but once that habit is formed most shoppers prefer their reusable bags and do not miss single-use bags. Any change takes some getting used to, but you can help customers make the transition to a law banning disposable bags or levying a fee on single-use bags easier by helping guide your shoppers through the process.
Please reach out to us today if you are ready to create your custom reusable shopping bag from recycled materials.
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