California Governor Gavin Newsom has signed a new law banning all plastic grocery bags by 2026, an update to the state’s 2014 legislation that was meant to curb plastic pollution but backfired. Rather than reducing waste, the previous ban actually increased the state's plastic bag pollution from 8 pounds per person per year to 11 pounds, according to a state study. The unintended consequences of that earlier ban raise serious concerns about the new law’s impact.
The 2014 law banned traditional single-use plastic grocery bags but allowed for thicker, reusable plastic bags as a replacement, under the assumption that customers would bring them back for reuse. However, that plan fell apart. Shoppers typically treated the thicker bags like single-use bags, throwing them away after one use. This not only defeated the purpose of the original ban but worsened the plastic waste problem.
The updated law aims to correct this by banning all plastic grocery bags and requiring customers to either bring reusable bags from home or purchase paper bags for a fee. Yet, as history shows, legislative bans like these often come with unintended consequences that may make the problem worse or shift the burden to those least able to afford it.
Is the Real Problem Grocery Bags, or Something Bigger?
While plastic grocery bags are an easy target for environmental legislation, they make up only a small fraction of the broader plastic pollution crisis. Mega-corporations like Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Nestlé, Unilever, and Procter & Gamble are among the world's largest contributors to plastic pollution, producing millions of tons of plastic annually. From soft drink bottles and plastic-wrapped snack foods to the packaging for meats, grains, and even canned goods (which often include plastic linings), our everyday purchases are saturated in plastic.
The blame for plastic pollution extends far beyond grocery bags. In fact, according to global waste data, most plastic pollution comes from packaging materials used by these corporate giants. These companies flood the market with single-use plastics, contributing far more to the problem than flimsy grocery bags ever did.
Critics argue that targeting grocery bags, which account for a small portion of plastic waste, diverts attention from the larger culprits—multi-billion-dollar corporations that continue to flood the market with plastics. "This ban might clean up a little bit of litter on the streets, but it does nothing to stop the real plastic crisis that comes from every other product we buy," says consumer advocate and environmentalist Maria Jennings.
The Impact on Low-Income Consumers
Beyond its environmental implications, the new ban places another financial burden on low-income families. The requirement to bring reusable bags or buy paper bags at checkout creates an additional expense, even if it seems small. Over time, this can add up for those who are already struggling to make ends meet. Paper bags, while better for the environment in some respects, are often more expensive for consumers, and reusable bags can be costly for shoppers to purchase upfront.
For low-income shoppers who are already facing rising costs of groceries, rent, and utilities, this new law could feel like yet another hurdle in the already expensive state of California. What started as a well-intentioned attempt to curb plastic pollution could wind up hitting the state’s poorest residents the hardest.
Looking Ahead
While the new law attempts to right the wrongs of its predecessor, it seems unlikely to solve California’s larger plastic pollution problem. Just as the 2014 ban came with unintended consequences, so too will this new effort—potentially leaving shoppers, especially the poor, to bear the cost while the biggest polluters, the corporations behind most of the plastic waste, go unscathed.
Real progress in combating plastic pollution requires targeting the real sources: the massive companies that churn out single-use plastics for every imaginable product, from soda bottles to cereal boxes. Until legislation holds these corporations accountable, California’s plastic bag bans may simply be a band-aid on a much larger wound.