Interesting article on reusable grocery bags

Hi- I found a link to this article at one of the couponing blogs I visit. Two marketing professors have studied purchases made by people who bring their own bag to the grocery store, and have figured out that people who bring their own bags are more likely to buy organic, but also more likely to buy junk food. They study receipts for chains in California that return some money to you if you bring your own bags, similar to what Whole Foods does. Here is a link to the article.

https://hbr.org/2015/04/reusable-bags-m ... icand-junk

The researcher's hypothesis is that subconsciously people who bring their own bags to the grocery store, feel that they can indulge in that ice cream, since they are bringing their own bags. I bet this would not hold true as much at Whole Foods, where people are more likely to buy healthy items, although I have seen people there who have no problem buying cookies and chips as long as they are organic.

Personally I do go through a carton of ice cream a week, but I try to buy low fat ice cream or frozen yogurt, and I almost never buy cookies, candy or potato chips. I do buy tortilla chips when I make my own salsa in the late summer and early fall, but I try to get low fat chips when I can. I used to buy Guiltless Gourmet chips, but my local Whole Foods quite carrying them.

I always bring my own bags when I go to the farmer's market, and when I go to Whole Foods, but I don't always do it when I go to Jewel. Once they start banning plastic bags in Evanston this summer, I might start bringing my own bags to Jewel. I do reuse the plastic bags I get at Jewel at the Evanston farmer's market. I also tell them at Jewel and CVS, that I don't need a bag for my gallon of milk. I'd be interested in what other people think about this article. Hope this helps, Nancy