Groceries

You Will Soon Be Paying a Dime Each For Your Grocery Bags

Buh-bye pink plastic.
Buh-bye pink plastic. Photo: John Catbagan

The city ordinance banning plastic bags at retail outlets and requiring a ten-cent charge for paper or compostable bags takes effect on October 1, and it’s sure to cause confusion in the pink-plastic-bag havens of Chinatown. The law makes S.F. the 50th city in the nation to have such a ban, and it follows on a 2007 ordinance that already required paper bags at grocery stores. With the new law, grocers will not have to shoulder the burden of paying for the paper bags, which cost about nine cents more apiece than plastic. According to the Chron, other cities which have instituted similar laws have seen the vast majority of shoppers adapting and bringing their own reusable bags to shop. For now, restaurants and takeout spots can continue using plastic, but they’ll be required to comply with the law as well starting next year. [Chron]

You Will Soon Be Paying a Dime Each For Your Grocery Bags