Charging for bags at supermarkets likely to start next year

[The_King]

Plans to start charging for bags at supermarkets will likely take effect next year, once consultations are completed at the end of this year.

The charge - intended to discourage the excessive use of disposable bags and to promote reusables - will not be a silver bullet, said Senior Minister of State for Sustainability and the Environment Amy Khor in Parliament yesterday.

The National Environment Agency (NEA) had said previously that details of the charge will be finalised following consultations.

PUBLIC EDUCATION

Dr Khor said the issue must be addressed on multiple fronts, including public education and working with producers and retailers to reduce packaging.

She was responding to questions from MPs who had asked about the ministry's plans to roll out a charging model for disposable carrier bags at supermarkets, which she announced on April 10.

 

Implementing a charge for single-use carrier bags at supermarkets was one of the recommendations submitted by the Citizens' Workgroup on Reducing the Excessive Consumption of Disposables to change social behaviour.

 

 

Dr Khor said in developing an appropriate model for a disposable carrier bag charge at supermarkets, the NEA will study overseas examples and consult key stakeholders and members of the public.

For instance, she said, NEA will take into account local practices such as using disposable carrier bags to bag trash for disposal. This may guide the decision on how much should be charged, whether the charge will apply per transaction or per bag, and if so, whether from the first or third bag.

 

Also under consideration are the implementation timeline and how charge proceeds will be used.

Dr Khor added that any possible impact of a charge will be looked into, especially on vulnerable groups like lower-income households. 

 

 

 

 

[The_King]

 buying plastic bag from TB, other ecom or local wholesaler (plastic bag) will be cheaper then what they can come up with

 

 

TB selling 400 plastic bag of similar supermarket size at 15.60yuan 

https://detail.tmall.com/item.htm?spm=a230r.1.14.1.1af369adhycL81&id=637259996200&ns=1&abbucket=1&sku_properties=1627207:28332