Lightweight trash? Try Sainsbury's Basics Refuse Sacks (Sainsbury's Basics Refuse Sacks)

Member Name: brittle1906

Product:	Sainsbury's Basics Refuse Sacks
Date:	26/04/09 (67 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Cheap and cheerful, some of the plastic replaced by chalk

Disadvantages: Too thin for garden or heavy rubbish

Review of Sainsbury's Basics Refuse Sacks


**The Product**

Bin bags, or to give them their Americanised name, Refuse Sacks are a necessary evil. We have the Wheelie Bin system in our town so no longer use them as much as we used to, but they are still sometimes required, mainly for wrapping objects to store in the shed or for garden waste that cannot be composted. I object heartily to paying good money for something that I am ultimately going to throw away and plastic sacks are not very environmentally friendly.

I spotted Sainsbury's Basic range now includes refuse sacks at just 71p for a 30 bag roll and decided to try them as this was around half the price of others on the supermarket shelf. As with many of Sainsbury's Basics products, these were located on the very bottom shelf, closest to the floor. I think that they do this deliberatly in the hope that shoppers eyes are drawn to the more expensive, eye level products first!

I was pleased to note that a green flash on the label stated that 30% of the plastic had been replaced by chalk, so they sounded a little better than 'pure' plastic! Curiously, the bags do have a slightly odd smell and thinking about it, the aroma is 'chalky'!

The rubbish sacks are presented in a perforated roll, held together with white paper band bearing the recognisable Sainsbury's Basic orange flash. The rest of the wrapper is white and has the strap line "30 Refuse Sacks, thinner not rubbish" in an orange font.
The band gives an indication of size, approximately 1470 mm rim width x 860mm deep. The bags will hold in the region of 75 litres.

The label also gives a warning to keep the product out of the reach of children to avoid the danger of suffocation and advises that glass and sharp objects should be securely wrapped before placing in the refuse sacks.

**Conclusion**

These bags do clearly state that they are 'thinner', I hadn't realised just how thin they would be! They are as my old Grandma would say, "So thin you could shoot peas through"!
The sacks are joined by a perforated strip, this is extremely difficult to use, as you try to rip ff a sack it is hard not to tear the adjoining bag. Once I had wrestled to actually get a sack, I found that the bags were of a reasonable size but due to the flimsiness of the plastic, not suitable for garden or heavy rubbish. I feel that these bags are fine for light loads but of no practical use at all for anything remotely weighty. Luckily we don't need them for anything too heavy, so as a budget buy, they are adequate. For anyone needing to use a refuse sack for more robust rubbish, I would suggest you avoid these.

Thank you for reading.

©Brittle1906 April 2009
Also posted on ciao.co.uk

Summary: At 71p these are a bargain if you only want to use them for light weight rubbish.