You can tell it’s a slow news day when I’m hitting the Sun Times.  Must be because all those sites have stopped sending me deals… Anyhoo, this tiny article says, well, it’s tiny enough to reprint:

Will Jewel-Osco’s checkout changes leave shoppers holding the bag?

Mar 24, 2011 06:59AM

Jewel-Osco baggers are being trained to stop double-bagging, refrain from bagging an item with a handle, and never ask, “Paper or plastic?”

The rules are aimed at saving money — to the tune of $4 million to $6 million yearly — with each 2-cent plastic and 5-cent paper bag left unused at the checkout counter.

Every cent counts for Jewel-Osco’s parent company, Supervalu of Eden Prairie, Minn., whose Jewel, Acme and Albertsons stores collectively use 1.5 billion plastic and paper bags a year. Supervalu has suffered 11 straight quarters of falling sales as shoppers defected to discount grocers during the recession.

I try to always bring my own bags, just because I get tired of hauling them back for recycling.  The plastic bags are crap; so thin that I’ve had them rip when I put in tissue paper, so how comfortable do you think I’d feel with eggs?  It’s easier for me to leave most stuff unbagged and transfer them from the cart to a banana box in the trunk.  Bring in the box, empty and return to trunk.  Nothing rips, rolls around, etc.