Bag Tracking System and Bag Counting Rack Associated Therewith

A system for tracking thermoplastic bags at a retail establishment having a checkout area, comprising:

• a rack formed to dispense a plurality of bags removeably affixed to one another in uniform registration in the form of a bag stack;
• said rack having a base, said base being formed to support a bag load;
• said rack being formed to support a bag for loading in an open position over said base;
• and a sensor associated with said base;
• whereby, upon opening and filling a bag from said bag stack, a bag load is placed upon said base such that said sensor is formed to detect and compile increases in said bag load until said bag is filled and removed, providing sensor data for utilization in determining a bag count.

A method of determining the amount of grocery bags utilized in a retail transaction, comprising the steps of:

• a) providing a bag stack comprising a plurality of bags removably affixed to one another in uniform registration,
• b) providing a bag rack comprising a base and a vertical support, said base having associated therewith a sensor, and said base;
• c) mounting said bag stack upon said bag rack such that said bag stack is supported in substantially vertical orientation by said rack;
• d) opening a bag from said bag stack upon said rack, providing an open bag;
• e) placing product in said open bag, providing a bag load,
• f) utilizing said base to support said bag load;
• while utilizing said sensor to detect said bag load,
• g) repeating steps e and f until said bag is filled with the desired amount of product;
• while
• h) utilizing said sensor to detect the removal of said bag load as said bag is removed from said rack, so as to provide sensor detection;
• I) communicating said sensor detection to a computer, said computer utilizing said sensor detection to count said bag, so as to provide a bag count;
• j) repeating steps d-I until said retail transaction is complete, providing a final bag count;
• and
• k) associating said final bag count with said transaction, providing transaction data.