Research reveals one major setback with grocery bag fees: 'It's really bad'

Grocery bag fees are meant to cut down on litter and disposable plastics — but new research suggests they can create a frustrating rebound effect: fewer bags overall, yet more plastic by weight when shoppers don't actually reuse the thicker "reusable" bags.

What's happening?

Washington's statewide plastic bag ban took effect Oct. 1, 2021, pairing a ban on thin single-use plastic carryout bags with a required fee on compliant paper bags and thicker plastic film bags.

A recent evaluation prepared for the state by Washington State University researchers estimates that plastic bag distribution fell about 50% from 2021 to 2022, and paper bags fell about 21% — but total plastic use by weight rose an estimated 17%.

The reason is simple: The replacement bags are much thicker and heavier. The report notes the policy would need roughly a 78% drop in plastic bags — not 50% — to reduce plastic use by weight.

One Spokane shopper, telling The Spokesman-Review about how she routinely forgets her reusable bags, said: "It's really bad. I have got bags in bags in bags. I've got them all hung up on my kitchen wall." However, the shopper still had to buy additional bags when one wasn't enough.

Washington's minimum fee for plastic film carryout bags also rose from 8 cents to 12 cents in January 2026 (paper bags remain at 8 cents minimum), adding another pinch point for shoppers who forget their bags.

Why is this concerning?

When thicker bags are treated like disposables, communities can end up with more plastic material entering homes — and potentially the waste stream — even if the total number of bags declines. That undermines efforts to reduce waste and protect wildlife.

Heavier bags also require more raw material and energy to produce and transport, increasing their footprint if reuse doesn't actually happen.

There's also a human equity angle. Bag fees can act as a small, repeated surcharge at checkout — and for people juggling kids, relying on transit, working multiple jobs, or shopping spur-of-the-moment, "just remember your bags" isn't always realistic. 

State agencies caution that some findings rely on limited data and may not reflect behavior statewide, but say more information is needed to understand how often bags are reused.

What's being done about it?

The report emphasizes that the key factor isn't bag material, but whether people actually reuse their bags — pointing to education, incentives, and systems that make reuse the easiest option.

For everyday shoppers, that can mean keeping foldable bags in a purse or backpack, storing a few in the car, setting a "bags" reminder before grocery trips, or reusing durable bags at least 7-12 times so they offset their footprint.

Should plastic grocery bags be banned nationwide? Absolutely 👍 No way 👎 Let each state decide 🤔 I'm not sure 🤷 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

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