Dear Editor,

The various bans on single-use plastics and styrofoam are really in the best interest of the consumer.

Firstly, many supermarkets have provided a ready disincentive to customers by not providing any alternative or discrete packaging.

Customers who would have in the past participated in spontaneous shopping have had this habit permanently curbed; one only buys what one absolutely needs or can carry in a handbag.

On the other hand, even those who are more ‘organised’ and controlled in their spending are also limited to the number of bags they have on hand. Greediness and extravagant spending is immediately stopped.

Shopping bags that advertise a store could seem to be a best practice for merchandise owners. However, instead many shop owners have been cutting off their noses, rather than subsidising appropriate containers for clients to purchase from their entities.

New, buoyant, sustainable financial avenues have been created for those who are manufacturing sturdy cloth bags, compact with zippers or freezer bags. Hip, hip hooray! Some food service companies have factored in the overall price of the recycled, attractive containers for food. Others seem hell-bent for the customer to open their palms and eat with their hands each serving portion.

Those once reluctant to travel with huge lunch bags have renounced these prejudices. They now are quite pleased to be parading the fashionable food knapsacks in many corporate settings. The only hope for the commercial food sector is for organisations to ban microwaves and other kitchen fixtures in places of employment.

It’s all for the best towards healthy, economic ‘livity’.

Ul Jem

jem.ul@yahoo.com