While plastic bag bans in some parts of the country have been rolled back during the pandemic, Vermont’s single-use bag prohibition will still go into effect in less than a month. However, fears that reusable bags can act as potential vectors for the coronavirus, which state officials say appear to be largely unfounded, are complicating the transition away from disposable bags.
Last year, lawmakers passed a bill prohibiting grocers, retailers and restaurants from handing out plastic bags starting this July. (Plastic bags used for dry cleaning, flowers, packaging loose produce and other food items within stores will still be allowed.) Grocery stores, which have been among the few businesses to stay open for in-person shopping throughout the pandemic, have had to pivot in an effort to keep customers and staff safe, including everything from disinfecting carts to redirecting customers with one-way only aisles.
While plastic bag bans in some parts of the country have been rolled back during the pandemic, Vermont’s single-use bag prohibition will still go into effect in less than a month. However, fears that reusable bags can act as potential vectors for the coronavirus, which state officials say appear to be largely unfounded, are complicating the transition away from disposable bags.
While a hot grocery store topic on Front Porch Forum has been whether or not particular stores require masks, there have also been differences in how stores are dealing with customers who want to bring in their own bags. The Morrisville Food Co-op is among the stores asking customers to not bring in their own bags for the time being. Taylor Evans, general manager, said the co-op “never was a plastic bag” store, so next month’s ban won’t impact them. For now, customers are taking home their groceries in paper bags or repurposed cardboard boxes from vendors.
The reusable bag ban has gotten some pushback from customers, Evans added. Reusing bags has been “one of the mainstays of a co-op, in terms of local and reusing things,” he said, adding that the next step for stores like his could be letting customers use reusable bags if they bag their own groceries.