Retail. Bye-bye plastic bags: ShopRite weighs in on plastic bag ban

Bye-bye plastic bags: ShopRite weighs in on plastic bag ban

This Sunday, the state of New York takes a giant leap toward a better environment when it bans plastic bags at most retailers.

As we reported last week, the ban will not only significantly reduce plastic bag waste throughout the state but will also encourage shoppers to bring reusable bags with them to all retail establishments.

ShopRite will offer paper bags to shoppers as well as sell reusable shopping bags. Consumers will pay a price – most reusable bags cost $1 but can be reused hundreds of times. Paper bags be available at ShopRite as well as Price Chopper for five cents each.

“ShopRite is concerned about the environmental impact of both plastic and paper bags, which is why we firmly believe that reusable bags are the best choice,” said a corporate ShopRite spokeswoman. “We are encouraging all our customers to ‘be the change’ and bring their own bags to shop, and our stores in New York are reminding customers about the importance of reusable bags with special signs that remind people to ‘Plan for the Ban’ and ‘BYO Bags’.”

Plastic bags will still be available for bulk items, uncooked meat, fish, poultry and seafood, for newspaper deliveries, by restaurants and dry cleaners and sold as food storage and trash bags.

- Linda Smith Hancharick