Market's Way to Discourage Plastic Bags: Embarrassment

Vancouver's East West Market really, really wants to discourage its shoppers from using plastic bags. For one thing, it charges a nickel for every one it distributes, reports Fox 7. But as the Vancouver Courier reports, the market's newest strategy goes way beyond that. East West's plastic bags are now emblazoned with embarrassing messages: "Colon Care Co-Op," "Into the Weird Adult Video Emporium," or "Dr. Toews' Wart Ointment Wholesale."

“So many people own reusable bags but forget to bring them,” says the owner of East West, which specializes in locally sourced and gourmet items. “We want to help customers remember their reusable bags in a way that will really stick," says David Lee Kwen. Pretty funny, right? That might actually be a problem. As Boing Boing points out, the idea might be backfiring because "now everyone wants a set." (More plastic bags stories.)