Aussies complain new supermarket bags could cause shoulder injuries

  • 23/07/2018
Aussies complain new supermarket bags could cause shoulder injuries

Australian shoppers are complaining about sustaining shoulder injuries from checkout workers overfilling reusable bags.

Customers across the country have taken to social media to express their concerns about checkout staff loading up the larger, sturdier bags - making the bags heavy, 7News reports.

As of July 1 Australian states Queensland and Western Australia, and retail chains Coles and Big W placed new restrictions on single-use plastic bags. 

Tasmania and South Australia previously banned this type of plastic bag.

Aussies complain new supermarket bags could cause shoulder injuries
Photo credit: Facebook

On June 20, Woolworths said it had removed single-use plastic bags from its stores nationwide. 

"I understand you made the bags bigger so not so many are used, but this puts customers in a position of unnecessary risk of injury due to excess weight," Coles customer Angie Dutta-Lancaster wrote on Coles Facebook page.

"I brought my own bags and the attendant put all these heavy items in the 1 bag even though I asked her not to overfill them," another customer Paul Jayne said.

"That is way too heavy to carry in 1 hand, let alone how much the bag could stand."

Aussies complain new supermarket bags could cause shoulder injuries
Photo credit: Facebook

And Marisa Mattucci Adams wrote on the Woolworths page asking them to consider the welfare of their staff over the issue.

"I just watched your staff overpack, stuff, overfill bags that were way to heavy, because customers only brought in one or two for half a trolley load of shopping and refuse to buy extra bags."

7News contacted both Coles and Woolworths about the customers' issues.

The Australian Physiotherapy Association (APA) said injuries from carrying large amounts of groceries was not a new occurrence and moving away from plastic bags was minimising harm. 

Newshub.