09 May, 2011

Japan photo #14 solved

 On Saturday I gave you this puzzle.

What is it? In this case context means an lot. Yes, it is from a grocery store. You find it at the cash register. As well as encouraging you to not use plastic bags, it smooths communication between the customer and the person serving you. If you have brought your own bag and don't need a plastic one from the register operator you grab this little tag and drop it into your shopping basket. It eliminates that little conversation - "Do you want a plastic bag?" "No." 

I appreciate this because there is another shop where we buy our milk that doesn't have this system. They assume you want plastic bags. If you are off your game or just distracted and don't inform them upfront, they just give you bags anyway. And then it just gets awkward - do you hand them back or take them and leave them on the packing counter? Or even if you aren't off your game they feel awkward using my bags and apologise before they put anything in my pre-offered bag. All terribly awkward!

Packing bench (counter). Where the customer puts their already-paid-for groceries  into whatever bag they have. Different to Australia!
But apart from that I just think this little tag is very cute!

1 comment:

Deb said...

I like how the Japanese have a little token you can use to avoid an awkward conversation!