“Eish, Woolworths!”: Gauteng Woman Complains About the Sorry State She Exited Woolies After Shopping

• A Gauteng woman walked out of Woolworths carrying her groceries in her hands after refusing to pay for a shopping bag
• Her frustration comes as South Africans are already feeling the pressure of rising costs, making every extra rand feel like one too many
• Some agreed the bag price is a rip-off, and others pointed out that the bags are reusable and worth it

A Gauteng woman shared a video of herself sitting in her car, groceries in hand, after refusing to buy a bag at Woolworths. The young woman shared her story on her TikTok page on 20 April 2026, visibly frustrated after her trip to the till. She showed herself holding her purchases because she had decided the R9 bag was simply not worth it. Even her avocado was tucked inside her handbag.

She explained that when she got to the cashier and was asked if she wanted a bag, she stood there weighing it up until she heard that each bag cost R9. That was the moment she made her decision and walked out with her arms full instead.

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Why everything feels expensive right now?

Her frustration is not just about a bag. A recent Debt Rescue consumer survey conducted in April 2026 found that 9 out of 10 South Africans are under serious financial strain. With electricity tariffs going up by 8.76% for Eskom customers in April 2026 and fuel prices climbing, the cost of everyday goods is rising too. The survey found that 75% of people believe fuel increases are driving up the cost of goods and services, and 60% expect grocery costs to rise significantly in the coming weeks.

Neil Roets, CEO of Debt Rescue, said people are no longer just cutting back on extras. They are being forced to sacrifice basic needs to get through the month.

Why do shops charge for bags?

Plastic bag levies were introduced in South Africa to reduce plastic waste and encourage shoppers to bring reusable bags. Retailers pass this cost on to customers at the till. The idea was that paying for a bag would push people to reuse them, which is why many of the bags sold at supermarkets are thicker and designed to last longer than a single trip.

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Watch the TikTok clip below:

Mzansi debates the Woolies bag price

South Africans had plenty to say about the R9 bag debate in TikToker @roberthahenney's clip:

@bud said:

"You can use that bag over and over."

@Daryl Naidoo wrote:

"So you're shopping at Woolworths, where everything is probably over R9 compared to other shops, but complaining about the R9 bag? 😂"

@NadiaJerri-Lee pointed out:

"The reason for paying for bags was actually to reduce plastic bags, then all the shops jumped on the bandwagon of material bags."

@Gill said:

"I fully agree. This is a rip-off."

@S Abs joked:

"But you bought their guacamole. 🫢"

@user2574056842221 said:

"I have a million Woolies bags at home. I get mad when they ask me to buy one. I always take too few bags with me."

More on Woolworths and shopping

• Briefly News recently reported on a content creator who found the exact same coat at Jet for half the Woolworths price.
• A man went viral after revealing that Woolworths is quietly taking over tuckshops at Cape Town private schools.
• Another woman compared a Woolworths coat and a Jet coat side by side at the mall, and the differences she found between the two had people in the comments fighting it out.

Source: Briefly News