SUPERMARKET staff are being abused and having to pack customer bags containing vomit, dirty nappies and rat faeces following state-wide plastic bag bans.

The SDA, the union that represents retail workers, is running a campaign urging customers to not “bag” retail staff following some nasty incidents at the tills.

National secretary Gerard Dwyer said while most customers have reacted well, some have behaved abominably.

“While we understand that some customers may be frustrated by this change, there is absolutely no excuse for abusive or violent behaviour towards retail staff,” he said.

Mr Dwyer says the skanky bags were a health risk to staff, while overloaded shopping bags were also emerging as an injury risk.

David Blight was shopping at a local Woolworths last Thursday and witnessed the abuse first-hand.

After a checkout operator asked a customer how many plastic bags he’d like to purchase, she received a foul-mouthed tirade.

by WADE ZAGLAS