Historical information

These type of brown paper grocery bags were commonly supplied by SSW Supermarkets, and also by other Supermarkets. The customers generally packed their own grocery purchases into the bags, while the checkout people were engaged in the time consuming process of accurately entering by hand, the price of each item into the cash registers. One local SSW Supermarket was situated on Sun Crescent in Sunshine. The introduction of stronger plastic film grocery bags and barcode scanning saved time, and the checkout person took over the role of packing the grocery purchases. In recent times customers who use the self check out terminals have again assumed the role of packing their own groceries. The environment polluting plastic bags however still remain, unless the customers bring their own 'green' bags.

Significance

These two brown paper grocery bags provide a historical reminder of how grocery purchases were taken home from Supermarkets in the not too distant past. It is likely that many of the younger generation have no idea of how the paper grocery bags looked like, or that they were once used instead of plastic bags.

Physical description

Two brown paper bags which were available for free in SSW Supermarkets, so that customers could pack their grocery purchases to be able to take them home. The bags have SSW advertising printed on them in red, yellow, and navy blue inks.

Inscriptions & markings

Large Bag:
We Shop at .... SSW FOODSTORES
STILL THE CHEAPEST DAY IN, DAY OUT!

Smaller Bag:
SSW SUPERMARKETS Still THE CHEAPEST DAY IN .... DAY OUT!