Apple ditches plastic bags

Apple has put a formal end to the use of plastic bags in its retail stores, say reports. Instead of giving bags to customers for taking products home, the company is now said to be offering help to carry large collections of goods to a person's car. As an alternative, people can ask Apple clerks to hold on to various items while they continue shopping at other outlets in a mall.

The shift is said to be a part of Apple's push towards appearing green in the public eye, which has involved eliminating toxins from its products and reducing the amount of packaging used. More recently the company has taken to promoting the energy efficiency of its computers, for instance noting that the updated Mac mini consumes only 13W when idling. The decision to remove bags from retail may also be connected to municipal laws, however, namely a ban in San Francisco, which is home to a number of Apple Stores and not far from the company's Cupertino headquarters.

The switch coincides with a reported fire sale on older hardware, triggered by the arrival of new Mac desktops including the Mini. Such sales are not being advertised, but those looking to buy a new machine are allegedly being offered the choice of an old one at a sharp discount in order to clear out inventory; the company typically tries to eliminate old stock before introducing new gear. Third-party resellers are said to be selling older iMacs for as much as $300 to $500 less.

by MacNN Staff