# SFGATE: "Safeway customers are livid over new 'completely useless' grocery bags in SF" **URL:** \ **Category:** Uncategorized\ **Created:** [April 18, 2026, 4:04am UTC](https://community.clark.com/t/sfgate-safeway-customers-are-livid-over-new-completely-useless-grocery-bags-in-sf/9178 "2026-04-18T04:04:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![PropofolMask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/6f9a4e/32.png) [@PropofolMask](https://community.clark.com/u/PropofolMask)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2026, 4:04am UTC](https://community.clark.com/t/sfgate-safeway-customers-are-livid-over-new-completely-useless-grocery-bags-in-sf/9178/1 "2026-04-18T04:04:54Z")
What does Clark Howard have to say about [this situation](https://www.sfgate.com/food/article/sf-safeway-paper-bags-22212538.php) in California? ---
**Author:** ![Amanda\_S](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b3f665/32.png) [@Amanda\_S](https://community.clark.com/u/Amanda_S)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2026, 5:36pm UTC](https://community.clark.com/t/sfgate-safeway-customers-are-livid-over-new-completely-useless-grocery-bags-in-sf/9178/2 "2026-04-19T17:36:40Z")
I don’t really see the problem. Growing up, no brown paper grocery bags had handles. I think the first time I saw handles on those types of bags was in a “fancy” grocery store like Trader Joes or Whole Foods. I didn’t realize that some Safeways had bags with handles. Likely the bag is more stable if you carry it from the bottom anyway.🤔 ---
**Author:** ![Dede](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/cdc98d/32.png) [@Dede](https://community.clark.com/u/Dede)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2026, 11:51pm UTC](https://community.clark.com/t/sfgate-safeway-customers-are-livid-over-new-completely-useless-grocery-bags-in-sf/9178/3 "2026-04-19T23:51:00Z")
I agree, Amanda. Growing up, our groceries were always in paper bags w/out handles. When I go to a store that has paper bags, unless the contents are very light, I always have my hand on the bottom to make sure it doesn’t tear. I also feel that being ‘livid’ over this is a very over-the-top reaction. 🙄 ---
**Author:** ![jrj90620](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ec9cab/32.png) [@jrj90620](https://community.clark.com/u/jrj90620)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2026, 2:21am UTC](https://community.clark.com/t/sfgate-safeway-customers-are-livid-over-new-completely-useless-grocery-bags-in-sf/9178/4 "2026-04-21T02:21:55Z")
I put a laundry basket in the shopping cart.I then shop,putting items into the basket.Unload at register and reload as cashier checks items.No bags involved and I just load the basket into car. ---
**Author:** ![Aircommuter](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/community.clark.com/aircommuter/32/4365_2.png) [@Aircommuter](https://community.clark.com/u/Aircommuter)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2026, 5:09am UTC](https://community.clark.com/t/sfgate-safeway-customers-are-livid-over-new-completely-useless-grocery-bags-in-sf/9178/5 "2026-04-21T05:09:47Z")
Maybe he shouldn’t live in a state where the environmentalists run everything. The paper bags with handles just tear off. If he can’t handle them he should get a cart. Can’t believe the news doesn’t even show such childish behavior. ---
**Author:** ![glasspilot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/eada6e/32.png) [@glasspilot](https://community.clark.com/u/glasspilot)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2026, 11:27am UTC](https://community.clark.com/t/sfgate-safeway-customers-are-livid-over-new-completely-useless-grocery-bags-in-sf/9178/6 "2026-04-21T11:27:52Z")
My Harris Teeter has the paper bags with the handles. If the bag is lite they seem to work. But if it’s loaded down it’s hand under the bag for me. I don’t know why these people in CA don’t have this figured out by now. My Food Lion has both the “normal” size paper bags and the smaller ones. Paper is biodegradable and plastic is not. I’m really bad about those re-useable bags. I have a couple in my car, I always forget to bring them in with me! ---
**Author:** ![tekwrite](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/community.clark.com/tekwrite/32/1118_2.png) [@tekwrite](https://community.clark.com/u/tekwrite)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2026, 5:44pm UTC](https://community.clark.com/t/sfgate-safeway-customers-are-livid-over-new-completely-useless-grocery-bags-in-sf/9178/7 "2026-04-24T17:44:43Z")
I grew up with only paper bags. And I also was a bagger for awhile. No problem. ---
**Author:** ![Aircommuter](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/community.clark.com/aircommuter/32/4365_2.png) [@Aircommuter](https://community.clark.com/u/Aircommuter)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2026, 5:41pm UTC](https://community.clark.com/t/sfgate-safeway-customers-are-livid-over-new-completely-useless-grocery-bags-in-sf/9178/8 "2026-04-29T17:41:55Z")
The reason they haven’t figured it out in California and especially in a city like San Francisco is because they expect the government to do everything. The government is mainly responsible for this because they try to help the helpless in hopes of generating votes. The guy who started this complaint is a prime example of someone who cannot help him self. ---
**Author:** ![Lavarock](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/community.clark.com/lavarock/32/119_2.png) [@Lavarock](https://community.clark.com/u/Lavarock)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2026, 5:51pm UTC](https://community.clark.com/t/sfgate-safeway-customers-are-livid-over-new-completely-useless-grocery-bags-in-sf/9178/9 "2026-04-29T17:51:32Z")
Our Safeway uses those bags with handles also AND they rip off. I think they even have a note or warning now not to pull them to the sides. Perhaps, since many places are forces to supply ‘eco’ bags, they came up with the idea, “if we have to supply paper bags (at an increased cost0, why not make them so nobody wants them. We save money and people will bring their own cloth bags…” My solution for all of you, take the bags and send them to me. For a fee, I will remove the handles and print on the bags “Heritage Tote Bag”, and ship them back to you. For an added fee, I can print “Retro Bag” if you like. I used to tell the checkout person, “No bag thanks. If I can’t carry it then I bought too much”. Worse now is the local grocery that has a small sign that many people miss that says “We now charge for bags” and then you find it can be up to 25 cents added to your total before you realize you are paying for them. ---
**Author:** ![tekwrite](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/community.clark.com/tekwrite/32/1118_2.png) [@tekwrite](https://community.clark.com/u/tekwrite)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2026, 12:14am UTC](https://community.clark.com/t/sfgate-safeway-customers-are-livid-over-new-completely-useless-grocery-bags-in-sf/9178/10 "2026-06-02T00:14:35Z")
In high school and college I bagged groceries. I MISS those awesome brown PAPER bags. If you double-bagged them you could carry an elephant! ---
**Author:** ![kcflyer](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/community.clark.com/kcflyer/32/3346_2.png) [@kcflyer](https://community.clark.com/u/kcflyer)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2026, 5:08pm UTC](https://community.clark.com/t/sfgate-safeway-customers-are-livid-over-new-completely-useless-grocery-bags-in-sf/9178/11 "2026-06-02T17:08:21Z")
Growing up, we only had paper bags with no handles. ---
**Author:** ![tekwrite](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/community.clark.com/tekwrite/32/1118_2.png) [@tekwrite](https://community.clark.com/u/tekwrite)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2026, 7:01pm UTC](https://community.clark.com/t/sfgate-safeway-customers-are-livid-over-new-completely-useless-grocery-bags-in-sf/9178/12 "2026-06-30T19:01:32Z")
ME TOO and I was a bagger when I started. You could get really fast at opening a paper bag and double bagging it. Paper is biodegradable too! I miss those mechanical cash registers! If the power went out just use the hand crank. I could hit 2-3 keys at once (19 cents was my fav) while some scanners takes several swipes!