Nine states now have grocery stores charge customers for single-use plastic bags in an effort to discourage the use of a major polluter to the environment. One of those states is California. Bringing one’s own reusable shopping bag to the store should absolve them of being responsible for bag fees. California-based frequent Trader Joe’s shopper Callie (@goinback2cali) did bring her own reusable bag to shop at the store. However, she says she was still charged the bag fee.
Callie shared her shock in a TikTok that’s been viewed over 8,000 times.
Callie starts her video by showing her receipt from Trader Joe’s. “See those bag fees?” she asks, zooming on two 10-cent bag changes.
“Listen, it’s 10 cents, times two. That’s 20 cents, OK?” she says.
“I got two bottles of wine. That costs me 20 cents,” she adds, referencing a bottle deposit fee. “Now, I’m like, negative 40 cents on just dumb [expletive].”
What is the bottle deposit fee?
In January, California passed a bill called the California Bottle Bill Act. Customers have to pay 5 cents for bottles under 24 ounces and 10 cents for bottles over 24 ounces. This applies to wine, distilled spirits, vegetable juice, and fruit juice.
But Callie takes issue with the bag fee, as she brought her own bag.
Callie asks, “How many times have they charged me a bag fee?”
She shows the reusable Trader Joe’s bag she brought to the store.
“They put my [expletive] in this bag,” she adds, dropping it with a thump. “I don’t always look at my receipt but seriously? What is that? And what am I gonna do about it?”
This incident caused her to question: “How much extra are we ALL paying??”
@goinback2cali trader hoes bag fees #traderjoes #bagfees ♬ original sound – Yoga By Callie
The Daily Dot reached out to Callie via TikTok comment and direct message as well as to Trader Joe’s via press contact form.
Viewer theories
Some viewers offered suggestions as to why Callie was charged two bag fees, despite bringing her own. The most plausible theory was that Trader Joe’s packed her two bottles of wine in their own bags. “TJ puts your bottles of wine in paper bags. Just ask them not to put your wine in bags and you won’t get charged next time,” one viewer explained.
But Callie assured them the cashier stuck the bottles in her reusable bag. “But I HAD my own bags and they used them,” she shared.
It’s incidents like this that have caused consumers to become distrusting toward the stores they shop at. Viewers urged others to always review their receipts.
“People are always posting hidden add-ons at walmart too because it doesn’t add up. i usually add up in my mind so I know about what I’m spending but I have to pay better attention,” one said.
“Always check your receipts and do it in front of them. Lesson learned, I never leave without checking my receipt no matter where I go,” another encouraged.
As for Callie, she said she’s going to speak with a manager about the fees.
“Hopefully I get a gift card. but imagine how much extra they collect a day doing that?” she said in response to a viewer.
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