Shanghai and Guangzhou Completely Restrict The Use of Plastic Bags

Recently, the official Weibo of the CCTV network released the news. According to sources, from next year, shopping malls and supermarkets in Shanghai will no longer provide plastic bags, even if consumers are willing to pay for plastic bags.

When the reporter visited, he saw that in the market, next to the roll bags used for weighing bulk goods, notices were set up to remind customers to use them as needed. At Carrefour, for customers who were unwilling to buy shopping bags, conditional stores would provide free cartons, tapes, rope, and so on for customers to pack.

Restrictions on the use of plastic bags in China’s big cities are not recent but have been moving forward since the beginning of the 21st century. In recent years, plastic restrictions have accelerated the pace of progress. In early December, Guangzhou also set a plan to restrict plastic products.

Starting from 2021, guesthouses and hotels in six urban areas in central Guangzhou will not put disposable household items in their guest rooms. Throughout the city, the catering industry forbids the use of non-degradable disposable plastic straws. From 2026, the use of non-degradable plastic bags will be banned in the city’s bazaar.

Shanghai, Guangzhou, and other big cities are areas with earlier opening up and higher economic levels in China. In other parts of China, the enforcement of plastic restrictions is relatively slow, but plastic bags in many areas charge extra, which also has the effect of reducing the use of plastic bags.