‘Imagine how much extra they collect a day doing that?’
Nine states now require grocery stores to charge customers for single-use plastic bags to help protect the environment. One of these states is California, where Callie, a regular Trader Joe’s shopper who goes by @goinback2cali on TikTok, experienced a surprising incident. Despite bringing her own reusable bag to the store, she was still charged a bag fee.
Callie shared her surprise and frustration in a TikTok video that has already been viewed over 8,000 times.
In her video, Callie shows her receipt from Trader Joe’s. “See those bag fees?” she asks, zooming in on two 10-cent bag charges.
“It’s only 10 cents each time, totaling 20 cents,” she says. “I bought two bottles of wine. That costs me 20 cents.”
“Now, I’m like, negative 40 cents on just dumb [expletive],” she adds.
What is the bottle deposit fee?
Starting in January, California implemented the California Bottle Bill Act. This law requires customers to pay 5 cents for bottles under 24 ounces and 10 cents for bottles over 24 ounces. This fee applies to items like wine, distilled spirits, vegetable juice, and fruit juice.
But Callie’s main concern was the bag fee, as she had brought her own bag.
“How many times have they charged me a bag fee?” Callie wonders aloud.
She then shows the reusable Trader Joe’s bag she had with her at the store. “They put my stuff in this bag,” she explains, dropping it with a thump. “I don’t always check my receipt, but seriously? What is that? And what am I going to do about it?”
This situation prompted her to ask, “How much extra are we ALL paying??”
Viewer Theories
Some viewers offered explanations for why Callie might have been charged two bag fees even though she brought her own. The most plausible theory was that Trader Joe’s packed her two bottles of wine in their paper 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 suggested.
But Callie responded by saying that the cashier placed the bottles in her reusable bag. “But I HAD my own bags, and they used them,” she mentioned.
Situations like this lead to consumer distrust towards the stores they shop in. Viewers urged others to always review their receipts.
“People are always posting about hidden add-ons at Walmart too because it doesn’t add up. I usually add up my purchases in my mind, so I know about how much I’m spending, but I need to pay better attention,” one person commented.
“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 viewer advised.
Callie said she plans to discuss the incident with a manager. “Hopefully, I get a gift card. But imagine how much extra they collect a day doing that?” she responded to a viewer.
Keeping an Eye on Your Purchases
As frustrating as this experience was for Callie, it serves as a good reminder for all of us to keep an eye on our receipts and check for any unexpected charges. While mistakes can happen, being vigilant can help you catch them before leaving the store.
And it’s always a good idea to address any issues with the store manager or customer service, as resolving the problem right away can often lead to a satisfactory outcome.
So next time you’re doing your grocery shopping, take an extra minute to review your receipt before you head out the door. It might save you a lot of hassle!
