Walmart Plastic Bottle Fee

[nguyentri]

I bought a 6-pack of Coke (710 mL) at Walmart (Orleans, ON) the other day and I was charged a 12 cent fee for it. I asked the cashier about it and she says it's a new law that they have to charge for plastic bottles.
Does anyone know anything about this? I've bought these bottles elsewhere since then and haven't been charged this. I know in other provinces they have deposits but I don't think they have this in Ontario.

[deltone]

Hmmmmmm, I've never heard of it. By the way, Food Basics has those on sale this week for $1.99. I bought a bunch (although there is a limit of 6) and was not charged this fee.

[dubjk]

ive never heard of this, maybe im missing out on something.

but i would think they would just tell you beforehand, like how they ask you if you want plastic bags and how theres a cost to it. Now that i think about it, if this was true would it become something like buying alcohol at LCBO, and its implied that you will be paying a deposit for the bottles.

[aggronieszka]

I became very familiar with this deposit in Saskatchewan. I remember when I first lived there, grabbed a 24 pack of bottled water on sale for 1.99, but ended up being charged 8 something for the deposit as well.

It could very well be something new for Quebec.

[iamnotamerican.com]

I bought a 6-pack of Coke (710 mL) at Walmart (Orleans, ON) the other day and I was charged a 12 cent fee for it. I asked the cashier about it and she says it's a new law that they have to charge for plastic bottles.
Does anyone know anything about this? I've bought these bottles elsewhere since then and haven't been charged this. I know in other provinces they have deposits but I don't think they have this in Ontario.

Sounds like the 'recylcing fee' many companies have these days, in addition to the deposit. It supposedly covers the cost of administration and processing of the recylcing program.

Personally I think it's a rip off, but what can you do?

[any007]

there's no such thing.
I just bought on tuesday plastic bottle pop from zellers.
no fee.

just cost + 13% in taxes.

[Kenny Blankenship]

I became very familiar with this deposit in Saskatchewan. I remember when I first lived there, grabbed a 24 pack of bottled water on sale for 1.99, but ended up being charged 8 something for the deposit as well.

It could very well be something new for Quebec.

Considering Orleans is in Ontario it would have nothing to do with Quebec. Quebec has had deposits on all its pop/beer bottles for many years.

[aggronieszka]

Considering Orleans is in Ontario it would have nothing to do with Quebec. Quebec has had deposits on all its pop/beer bottles for many years.

You're right. I have NO idea where I got Quebec from. Maybe I was thinking of Quebec while I was reading the OP? :cheesygri

[Cheap Cat]

OP you need to complain higher up at Walmart I have never heard of such a charge in Ontario and it appears no one else has or they would have posted it here. I am sick of stores randomly making up their own rules/charges.

[nguyentri]

I wrote to the Better Business Bureau and they told me to call the Department of Finance. Federal or Prov. they didn't say (I assume Prov.). Anyway, BBB seemed pretty useless.

I called the City of Ottawa to see if they implemented any new fees. They said no, but to check with the Province.

I called Service Ontario, which sent me to Revenue (I think). They never heard of any such fee, but that I should check with Environment. I called Dept. of Environment and they never heard of it either (and said I should check with Revenue).

I think I'll email Walmart HQ to see what they say.

[hagbard]

At least you don't have to worry about a "Smile at the checkout" fee.

[angekfire]

At least you don't have to worry about a "Smile at the checkout" fee.

...yet.

[ephemera]

I wouldn't be shocked by this. I am sure there will be many more 'green' taxes coming down the pike since most people won't complain if its 'green'

Can you ask if you can poor the POP into a reusable bag so you can save the deposit fee?

[emmafb]

I wouldn't be shocked by this. I am sure there will be many more 'green' taxes coming down the pike since most people won't complain if its 'green'

Can you ask if you can poor the POP into a reusable bag so you can save the deposit fee?

That was what happened when I went to Philippines 25 years ago. I ordered coke from a street stand, the guy empty the bottle (glass bottle) in a plastic bag and put a straw in it!

[nguyentri]

The Orleans store called me back and said that the charge stems from a "Green" program that Walmart participates in called Stewardship Ontario (http://www.stewardshipontario.ca/).

I asked if this was a voluntary program and she said yes. I'm still skeptical about this though. It looks like Loblaws is part of this program and I've haven't been charged anything there (yet).

Has anyone else been charged any fees when buying any type of plastic bottled drinks at Walmarts in Ontario?

[aaaaaa]

be happy it's only walmart charging you stupid bottle fees. in bc they charge deposits even on juice boxes. i see the need for recycling, but it's a giant pita to return your used crap when you're done. i always just end up throwing it in the recycling bin for hte city to take care of.

were you able to find out if all walmarts are now doing this (in ontario), or if it was just the one location?

[Cheap Cat]

The Orleans store called me back and said that the charge stems from a "Green" program that Walmart participates in called Stewardship Ontario (http://www.stewardshipontario.ca/).

I asked if this was a voluntary program and she said yes. I'm still skeptical about this though. It looks like Loblaws is part of this program and I've haven't been charged anything there (yet).

Has anyone else been charged any fees when buying any type of plastic bottled drinks at Walmarts in Ontario?

So where does it say they can charge you a bottle fee. I doubt that one store in a chain like WM, where Head Office controls every thing, would be charging this fee. Did you contact Head Office? If all they told you was that they belong to this program then that is not a sufficient answer. Is there a sign in the store advising customers of this? You can't just charge a fee unless it is the law.

[Kris81]

I wrote to the Better Business Bureau and they told me to call the Department of Finance. Federal or Prov. they didn't say (I assume Prov.). Anyway, BBB seemed pretty useless.

I called the City of Ottawa to see if they implemented any new fees. They said no, but to check with the Province.

I called Service Ontario, which sent me to Revenue (I think). They never heard of any such fee, but that I should check with Environment. I called Dept. of Environment and they never heard of it either (and said I should check with Revenue).

I think I'll email Walmart HQ to see what they say.

That's alot of work for 12 cents!

[Frankie3s]

Looks like just the beginning of eco-fees that in the end do nothing for the environment but everything for the retailer and/or the provinces bottom line. You can thank politicians both at the municipal and provincial level for this.

[nguyentri]

That's alot of work for 12 cents!

Yeah, it's a lot of work for just 12 cents, but it amounts to like a 5% tax/charge/fee (the 6-pack cost like $2 or $2.50).
Consider the amount of pop that Wal-mart sells, this is a lot of money that Wal-mart is getting. Is it going to the government, some green organisation, or their pockets?
The woman on the phone said that she doesn't know exactly what gets charged and how (????), but that other stuff like paint-cans will get this charge too.

And there is no signage or anything telling you of the charge beforehand.
You don't know until you look at the receipt or the cash register I guess. I wonder if this gets charged in self-scan.

I emailed Walmart HQ and I guess they just forwarded me to the store I had questions about.

Even if this charge is not bogus, they should post signs in the pop aisle describing the charge.

[bobble]

Spoke to Walmart Orleans service desk yesterday, they told me this was a new tax which they have been charging since April (which seems to be incorrect).
I produced bills from food basics and Loblaws who don't add a bottle charge.

If Walmart chooses to participate in the Stewardship Ontario program fine, but to charge people without telling them is should be illegal.