Thread by @davidfickling

Blaming plastic bag bans for weak retail sales has to be one of the most stupid pieces of vague-hunch-as-policy-advice special pleading I've seen in years. Good to see the counterpoint lower down in the piece.

theaustralian.com.au/nation/economy…

I agree with @AdamMinter view that the hue and cry about plastics is actually pretty overdone, especially in rich country with proper waste-management industries: bloomberg.com/opinion/articl…

But the argument that bag availability is a key determinant of groceries demand doesn't pass the laugh test. Either you bring enough bags you need, or you shop more regularly, or you waste less food and spend your money on other things.

The best version of this argument would be that people are wasting less food but the money is being socked into savings accounts and failing to stimulate the real economy, but a look at the household savings ratio shows it's actually at a 10-year low.

Also worth looking at items-per-basket (ie. per transaction) at Woolworths. These are from its published financial results. Have been the best in several years since the plastic bag ban!