Overview
- California’s ban on offering plastic grocery bags takes effect Jan. 1, ending their sale statewide.
- Shoppers may bring their own reusable bags, and stores can provide paper bags with per-bag fees that often run about 10 cents but will differ by store.
- Lawmakers removed the 2014 exception for thicker “reusable” plastic bags after reports showed they were not reused enough and increased plastic use.
- An October settlement announced by Attorney General Rob Bonta requires bag manufacturers to stop selling in California and pay $1.7 million in penalties.
- The California Grocers Association says retailers are prepared for the shift, and many stores already phased out thicker plastic bags ahead of the deadline.