A new receipt system

Here in the UK we're very good at using scapegoats to save us the brain power in having to think about the bigger picture. Take the whole 'be more ethical' movement. It's a massively complex situation that involves politics, religion, multi-national corporations and a few billion people.

Yet in the UK, it's apparently all the fault of the plastic bag. As soon as Anya Hindmarch launched a fashion line that touched on it, it was instantly on the front pages of the press. The plastic bag was the reason the planet was falling apart.

When I studied my MA a few years back I focused on ethicality and packaging, so I do know how bad plastic bags can be for the planet. It's obvious really: use less packaging, and make sure the stuff you do use is biodegradable and recyclable. But that goes with all packaging, not just plastic bags and I'm happy to see this being addressed now. A few years ago people were happily turning down free plastic bags but then proceeding to buy individually wrapped bananas...

But I think there's a new kid on the block that seems to have slipped through the net.

I'm always very careful when it comes to plastic bags and I only get them when I need them. I try and balance out being given plastic bags with not buying black bin bags. So most of the time I'll refrain from accepting a plastic bag. However, the majority of the time I simply do not need a receipt. Let's face it, when you buy some shower gel or some dried fruit, you rarely take the item back. Yet over the weekend when I bought those items I ended up with 4 very large pieces of paper with information on them that was simply of no interest to me. I can understand a receipt with some goods, of course, but not for all.

Why can't I have some information built into my credit/ debit card that tells the till to send an electronic version of my receipt to an email address? That way I can log in if I need it, and I'm not lumbered with having to store pieces of paper, and the environment benefits too? Is that too much to ask? And if I pay with cash why can't I have a Tesco Clubcard style key fob? I tap it on the till and it sends my email address a receipt of the transaction?

Am I missing something and this has been done already? It seems so simple...

Comments

[jennifer]

If they can do it at the Apple stores, I'd think Tesco could do it, too!

[pristyles]

i've been an advocate of this for some time, maybe we should get get an eco-celebrity on board and start a movement!

[charlie gower]

A few people have talked about this as a text message option. Having your card tied to a number getting the receipt as an SMS. etc etc

would be good.
Banks as we know though, are not first in the queue to spend money on new ideas!

[Charles]

First of all mate it's a terrific suggestion and one that the retailers need to just get on with fucking doing it and not finding excuses.

It also reminds me of a points system I want implemented where recyclers are rewarded with points for stuff they drop off. 50 kilos of glass should mean a discount at Tesco's where the glass bins are. Why aren't these lazy fuckers doing it?

I also want to point out that while the plastic bag is so not the reason for our collective species demise (the car, the internet and it's server farms) it's good to have something that joe public can get his head around and say "oh..consumption, disposal, waste, melted ice caps, Thames reaches second floor of houses of Parliament?

Good post.

[Neil Bennett]

Completely with you on this one. I was sorting through my reciepts for the taxman last night - such a waste.

But what I found most frustrating was that my accountant even made me print out my email/electronic reciepts. Surely if someone created an electronic system/app/platform that integrated with businesses and consumers it could be most efficient for the environment and calculating my tax at the same time.

[Natasja]

Great suggestion and I'm completely with you. Interestingly enough, one of my MADS classmates is working on exactly this problem!