USC or passing the buck: How etailers cannot deal with simple things

I am currently in the library of my hometown.  After buying a pair of trainers at USC, an etailer of fashion clothes and shoes.

Popped in last Sunday to try the trainers, I liked them so I came back today.  Wanted to wear them straight away, so I was directed to the cashier who could also lend me a pair of scissors to cut the labels.

So before I was given the price (these trainers were on a discount) I was asked if I wanted to buy a bag for the shoes.  I was offered different types.  All I remember is that one type of bags would cost 80 pence. 

I was also put in front of me the box for the shoes.  I said I did not want it, all I wanted was a bag to put the old shoes.

The cashier said that I HAD to take the box.  Because they did not have anywhere to put it.  

So I paid and I said again, I do not need the box.  She said I must take it with me.  What if I do not need it? 

Here comes the fantastic suggestion:  Then throw it away!!

So what appears to be a somehow (but not fully) responsible business when it comes to generate waste (in the form of plastic bags) comes out as a totally careless one.  How come don't they have a way to dispose of their own packing?  Why should the customer do so?

I can understand why they want to charge people for bags (sadly, this is a policy that is now gaining acceptance among businesses in the UK to 'stop' waste).  But should not the problem be resolved in a more sensible and common-sense oriented way? 

So I went to the homepage of USC.  Given my experience with Fatface (you can read it all in my previous post), I now want to raise a complain with customer service.  In this Link they offer a generic form for contact.  There is NO option for the type of query I want to raise.  It seems this business does not have an option that allows them to lean from the customer.  They only want to hear what they want to hear. Complete deafness.  

So I will write to their email address and will give them a link to this blogpost. 

Am I asking for a very complicated thing to be sorted out?  For sure not!  If I was to order my trainers online I would have been the one having to deal with the waste (box, shoes, etc).  But this time I wanted to save me and this company the hassle.  

It was supposed to be a green day, that is why I am cycling.  But reality has hit me in the face.  Etailers like USC only care about their supply chains, they do not seem to care about their environment, even if they encounter 'responsible' customers like me.  I am not a saint when it comes to recycling, but this time I tried, and I failed.  

Ps:  The city council has installed different bins.  One of them is for paper.  But the box did not fit in it, so I had to throw the box in the 'general waste' one.  The council has also its own view of what constitutes 'paper'.