It turns out “Bags for Life” really do mean for life in some stores – and shoppers are only just figuring it out.
A viral discussion online has left people gobsmacked after learning that if your Bag for Life becomes worn or damaged, you can take it back to some supermarkets and get a brand-new replacement for free.
In Ireland, major supermarkets like Tesco and M&S both follow this policy, although Aldi does not.
The revelation came to light after a Mumsnet user posted about it on the forum, admitting they had no idea this was a thing:
“Honestly, I just found out that if your Bag for Life gets damaged, you can take it back to the supermarket, and they’ll replace it for free! I always thought ‘Bag for Life’ was just a fancy way of saying ‘sturdier plastic bag’ – but no, it’s literally for life. How did I not know this?! Have I been throwing them away like an absolute fool all these years?! Please tell me I’m not the only one who only just figured this out…”
The post quickly gained traction, with many admitting they’d unknowingly been binning their reusable bags for years instead of swapping them for a fresh one.
Which supermarkets replace Bags for Life?
The website BritSuperstore decided to dig deeper and found that many shoppers are unaware of the policy. Grocery expert Richard Price confirmed that while most supermarkets offer the free swap, not all do.
Here’s what each supermarket on his list told him:
Tesco – “If your Tesco Bag for Life becomes worn out, bring it to the checkout and exchange it for a new one, free of charge.”
M&S – “You can return your Bag for Life for replacement or recycling when they wear out.”
Aldi – No free replacements. Aldi does not offer a policy for swapping old Bags for Life for new ones.
