No more paper or plastic freebies as plastic bag ban goes into effect in Modesto

One of life’s great quandaries has finally been settled in California.

With the passage of Proposition 67, “paper or plastic?” will no longer be the biggest question facing people at grocery checkouts. The single-use plastic bag ban went into effect locally the day after the proposition passed, surprising some shoppers with its speed. Gone are the free, flimsy plastic bags. Now to lug all those purchases home people must either buy paper bags or reusable plastic bags for 10 cents each or bring their own bags from home.

The change left some in a lurch when shopping Saturday in the Central Valley, where most communities did not have existing plastic bag bans. But most took it in stride, such as Modesto resident Amber Carr. The 35-year-old had popped into Sprouts Farmers Market in the McHenry Village without bags. But instead of paying for bags, she put all her items back in her cart and packed them individually into the back of her car.

“I just didn’t want to pay the money for bags, plus I have hundreds of reusable bags at home. But it’s not a problem,” she said. “I have three kids at home and we’ll make a game of unloading the groceries. And then I’ll bring my own bags next time.”

Proposition 67 passed by 52 percent and banned the use of single-use plastic bags at grocers, retail stores with a pharmacy, convenience stores, food marts and liquor stores. Gov. Jerry Brown initially signed a statewide ban, the first in the nation, in 2014. The law was intended to go into effect July 2015 for grocery stores and July 2016 for convenience stores and liquor stores. But the referendum halted that until voters had their say. Its passage Tuesday triggered its immediate effect statewide.

Big national retailers in California such as Target and Wal-Mart complied immediately, offering a thicker plastic reusable bag to customers for 10 cents apiece. Large grocery chains such as Save Mart, Safeway and others also began implementing the ban. Other chains such as CVS Pharmacy were still giving out plastic bags this weekend for free with purchases.

Save Mart’s executive director of communications and public affairs, Stacia Hill Levenfeld, said the company had been working with the California Grocers Association to get ready for the ban. But some of its stores are still in transition.

“Due to supply constraints of paper bags in the industry, some of our stores will continue to offer plastic until we can receive a full inventory of paper bags,” she said.

At Sprouts, all the old disposable plastic bags were gone and shoppers were snapping up reusable totes, which sold for 99 cents to $1.99, depending on size.

“A lot of people are purchasing reusable bags. So the reusable bags will be a good thing going forward,” said Sprouts floor manager Pedro Cortez. “We’re just rolling with the changes. Everyone has been pretty mellow about it.”

But not everyone was quite as calm about the changes. At Safeway on McHenry Avenue, lead clerk Adan Padilla said there have been some grumbles; about half of customers are paying for bags, and some are refusing them altogether.

“We’ve had a lot of complaints. Some people just don’t want to pay for it. Lots of people are shocked because they expected it would become law Jan. 1,” he said.

Other customers are trying to stretch their 10-cent purchases by asking baggers to pack as much as possible in each 10-cent package.

“I voted for the ban on the plastic bags,” said 75-year-old Harold Crumpley, who was shopping at Sprouts with his wife, Joan. The couple forgot to bring their reusable bags, so settled for a loaded-full paper bag instead. “Some people will be surprised by it when they go to the store, but pretty fast people should get used to it.”

One family that has been using their own reusable bags for years is that of Modesto’s Rob Anderson. The 43-year-old was shopping at Sprouts with his 3-year-old daughter, Francesca. They left the store laden with their own large World Wildlife Fund totes.

“I am all for the environment and wildlife. I was happy it went into effect fully. I say tax everything so people use it less,” he said.

This story was originally published November 12, 2016 at 5:54 PM with the headline "No more paper or plastic freebies as plastic bag ban goes into effect in Modesto."