SAN DIEGO – Following the passage of Proposition 67 in the general election, there has been some confusion from California shoppers who are heading to grocery stores to pick up ingredients for their Thanksgiving meal.
It is no longer a question of paper or plastic at the checkout counter. Proposition 67 bars grocery stores and other selected retail outlets from handing out single-use plastic bags, but allows them to sell recycled paper bags and reusable bags for a minimum of 10 cents.
Several customers have been seen walking out with groceries in their hands because they do not want to purchase a bag. The law applies to grocery stories, big retail shops with pharmacies, convenience stores and liquor stores.
Shoppers at a San Diego Albertsons told 10News that customers with an EBT card will be given a paper bag for free.
Proposition 67 passed by a margin of 52.9 to 47.1 percent. Meanwhile, voters defeated Proposition 65, which would have legislated the use of money raised by the statewide ban. Passage of the initiative would have resulted in the several tens of millions of dollars annually being transferred to a special fund administered by the Wildlife Conservation Board for certain environmental and natural resources purposes. As it is now, grocery stores keep the revenue generated by the 10-cent paper bag sales.
Each year, roughly 15 billion single-use plastic carryout bags are provided to customers in California. That is an average of about 400 bags per Californian.
