Whenever I visit a new country, one of the first things I like to do is check out the supermarkets. I love to see all the different products, the labels, the languages, what's available as fresh produce, etc.
The first thing that strikes me about places like Bourbon, Carrefour, Big, is, um, how BIG they are! I didn't expect hypermarket-style shopping here. I didn't expect to find entire aisles of just rice. I didn't expect to have friendly young people packing my bags at the checkout—I think that disappeared in the US around the time of 'Happy Days'!
And the most surprising thing for me so far: the accuracy of the receipts. OK, the prices may change every couple days, but what has been rung up is what was advertised. In other countries I've lived—USA, UK, Australia—I used to diligently check each docket before I left the store, and I ALWAYS found an error. But I can happily report that at my local Bourbon I have never seen a discrepancy between receipt and shelf price.
I do have one criticism though, and it is a big one. Those helpful young people who are packing my PLASTIC bags? Why why why do they have to use so many, why are they non-biodegradable, and why is Brazil so far behind in environmental issues?? Worldwide supermarkets are taking steps to minimise plastic bag usage: Tesco in the UK and Whole Foods in the US offer bags made from recycled plastic bottles; Woolworths and Coles in Australia encourage reusable polypropylene bags that customers dutifully tote around; global German chain Aldi doesn't give out any bags at all.
And yet seemingly, the supermarkets uses one plastic bag for each item purchased! Carrefour and Nacional are just as bad, and their bags are even smaller, so more are used. All of these stores do offer a small and uninteresting selection of reusable bags available for purchase, but I have found that even when I bring my own (international) shopping bags--and my old-lady shopping trolley--the stunned 'packers' are unsure what to do with them! Come on POA—make plastic go away!!
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2 comentários:
i totally agree with u, in fact when i go shopping i go with one big bag and the people stare at me as if i were a UFO or something like that :S i hope soon POA will remove plastic bags!!!
NAO mais sacolinha plastica!!!
I remember during my childhood that were used paper bags, which although not the ideal option, were still better than plastic bags.
Unfortunately, there is a real concern with this problem here in Brazil.
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