Gill Matthews writes
In article ,
says...
Following up to Sacha :

Actually, all you have to do is say "I don't want the bag, thank you" and
take the receipt which is proof of purchase, not the bag.

That's what I said, but it seems this isn't an acceptable request by UK
shopkeepers. I've been told, so now I know.

I don't know how often you have been told that but I regularly request not
to have a bag and have almost never been refused. In fact the only place I
can recall being difficult was WH SMITH so that is a place where I no longer
shop

I've never had a problem refusing a bag, and that includes WH Smith
--
Kay