Thin plastic bags are now banned in supermarkets in New Zealand. New Zealand extends ban on plastic bags in supermarkets. This ban has been imposed on thin plastic bags. Usually these bags are used for fruits and vegetables.
This is done as part of the government’s campaign against single-use plastics. It became effective from last Saturday. Meanwhile, many shoppers are bringing bags from home while coming to the market. In 2019, the country banned heavy plastic bags from being marketed.
Many countries have banned plastic bags in the last few years. Others have charged a fee on these bags.
New Zealand’s Minister of State for the Environment, Rachel Brooking, said New Zealand produces a lot of plastic waste.
Since the heavy plastic bag ban came into effect in 2019, the use of more than 1 billion plastic bags has been reduced. Saturday’s new move is expected to reduce the use of 15 million plastic bags each year.
Critics have expressed concern that shoppers will carry groceries in disposable paper bags. These bags are still available in supermarkets.