Stop & Shop: No More Reusable Bag Rebate

Grocery shoppers in New Rochelle with their reusable bags in tow were surprised to find over the weekend that Stop & Shop was no longer giving back 5 cents per bag.

Stop & Shop New York Metro spokeswoman Arlene Putterman said Monday it was a regional policy decision to stop the rebate as a test.

"We had been doing it for years," she said of the 5-cent incentive, "but there's really not much changing on the meter.

"We feel the program has reached a plateau," Putterman said.

She said the company will be making a donation of $10,000 to the environmental group Connecticut Forest and Park Association and will still be encouraging people to reuse plastic bags.

A posting about the change on New Rochelle Patch's Facebook brought out the comments.

New Rochelle resident Melanie McKay said it happened to her as well.

"I wasn't too happy either. Being on a budget, those nickels add up," she wrote.

Mary Jane Marcus wrote that she "will not be going there anytime soon."

On the other hand, Casey DelliCarpini wrote that she didn't mind the change.

"I always forget to hit that button anyway," she said.