Walmart and Target announce more automatic surcharges

• Walmart and Target announce automatic surcharges.
• Who will have to pay more?
• The retail giants are charging delivery and bag fees.

Two retail chains in the United States announce new surcharges which could affect their customers. Target and Walmart customers aren’t happy with the changes.

Starting March 28 Target began applying an automatic surcharge for reusable bags. So far, the change applies only in New Jersey stores. The company has not announced the schedule for extending the measure to the entire country.

Walmart was already charging extra for reusable bags

Target follows in Walmart’s footsteps in replacing single-use plastic and paper bags with eco-friendly, reusable bags. And the price will be assumed by the customers. So how will this work?

Target will gradually charge begin charging for bags to store purchases. Before it offered single-use plastic bags. Now it will replace them with reusable eco-friendly cloth bags.

Customers are unhappy

The new charges are being handled differently in different states. For now, in South Carolina, delivery orders will automatically be charged for 10 bags. If fewer are used when the order is filled, the bill will be reduced, according to The Sun.

Walmart and Target customers have not been happy with the changes but as people adjust to the new procedures and begin to stock up on their own reusable bags, things should improve.

More people are opting for delivery since the pandemic

In the post-pandemic retail environment, many shoppers are still opting for delivery because of the added convenience. However, this will cost extra at Walmart now. The discount retailer added a flat $7.95 delivery fee to all online grocery orders and customers aren’t too happy about the markup.

The only way to avoid this fee is if you are a frequent Walmart shopper with a Walmart+ membership. Please note that all Walmart+ accounts are $12.95 per month. One unhappy customer tweeted: «This delivery fee is insane for Walmart.»

What locations are affected?

Another said: “Walmart now charges a shipping fee unless you sign up for their monthly program. No, thanks.» Costs can add up quickly without a Walmart+ account. For example, a family that orders deliveries twice a week could end up paying an extra $800 a year.

Walmart and Target have also added bagging fees in states where single-use plastics have been banned. California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington have already enacted the new laws, which means shoppers will pay more if they don’t bring their own reusable bag from home.