Countdown lifts paper bag charge due to global price rises

Countdown shoppers will have to pay more for paper bags from later this month.

In store, the cost of paper bags will increase by 10c, to 30c each.

Countdown is also increasing the fee for online orders to be packed into paper bags from $1 to $1.50.

Mark Wolfenden, director of CountdownX, said paper and pulp prices were rising globally so the cost of paper bags had increased “significantly”.

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The increase was designed to cover the cost.

“This new [online] bag charge, which will come into effect from Friday, October 21 is a flat fee that will apply to all online orders, with the exception of pick-up customers who choose to BYO bags.

“We know cost increases of any kind are frustrating and we do try to avoid passing these on where we can, but unfortunately, we can’t absorb them all.”