5 ms·

Companies will just pass the cost to the consumer, blame regulation, and keep using plastic because it's easier and there's nothing we can do to stop them.

• franga2000 4y ago
  I used to think like that too, but in many fields, there is a huge pressure against "passing it on" because of some producers that optimise price over everything else. If your only competitive advantage is being cheaper than the rest and now everyone is raising prices, doing the same will not only hurt your appearance as the "reliable value brand", but you'll be wasting a huge opportunity to grab a big new chunk of the market (customers tend to looks for alternatives when prices increase). These are the companies that will use alternative materials, even if they are inferior (e.g. paper straws and cups), because it's the cheaper option.
  • staticassertion 4y ago
    Bag taxes are already passed on to customers though.
    • franga2000 4y ago
      Yes, but there are also many paper and multi-use bags available now that weren't before the tax. Because they knew the price increase would anger customers, they created alternatives that don't fall under the tax and thus give the customer a better value than the old option now with tax. (plastic bags are, however, a pretty unique case, as they used to be free and the dynamics of "free vs paid" are way different than "paid vs paid but slightly more expensive)
• michaelmrose 4y ago
  You can just ban it after a phase out period where it is made progressively more expensive. If the choice is to spend $0.20 more on glass or try to pass $8 on to the consumer then the merchant will choose not to commit suicide.
• kingkawn 4y ago
  Thats fine, customers can pay for the long-term costs of the products they use. It will help create a market for biodegradable or fully recyclable alternatives.