Overview
- Effective January 1, 2026, supermarkets and specified retailers in California must stop distributing single-use plastic shopping bags.
- Only paper bags sold from a box are allowed at checkout, with a minimum price of 10 cents per bag.
- Enforcement falls to cities, counties, and the California Attorney General’s office, with the public able to report violations.
- The rule extends to retail stores with pharmacies, convenience stores, food marts, and liquor stores, not just supermarkets.
- Merchants report paper bags cost about 25% more and raise concerns over disposal of existing plastic-bag inventory, while supporters emphasize reusable cloth bags and reduced plastic pollution.