Fashion and homeware store, Matalan, has quietly brought in an additional charge to customers. While most people now accept that there will be a charge for bags from retailers, the brand has introduced a charge for another item - its coat hangers.
Bosses for the retailer, which has stores across Nottinghamshire including Bulwell, Chilwell and Mansfield, say they brought in the charge to reduce plastic waste by encouraging clothes buyers to re-use their hanger. However, the move hasn't impressed shoppers.
The store, which claims on its website that "Since 1985, we’ve been on a mission to give modern families outstanding quality at outstanding prices", introduced the new policy quietly. However, that doesn't mean that shoppers haven't been vocal about the move.
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With customers in the clothing stores now having to pay 10p for plastic coat hangers, one mum took to Twitter to express her anger. According to the Mirror she said that the policy shouldn't include baby clothes. She wrote on social media: "If this is the case you need to stop supplying ones for baby clothes where the accessories are attached to the hangers," the mum tweeted.
Another customer expressed their surprise. "Since when does Matalan charge 10p each for hangers?", they said. "Nowhere in store or outside the store does it inform customers that they now charge for hangers, when did this become a thing? If this is the case, surely they should store all items in store without hangers?!”
A Matalan spokesperson said: "To ensure sustainability it is important for the environment that all plastic wherever possible is recycled. Matalan is charging for the hangers to encourage customers to leave them in the store so that they can be recycled and used again."
The change comes after the retailers introduced new rules last year meaning shoppers now have to remove their own security tags at self-service checkouts.
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