New Zealand says it’s the first to ban thin plastic bags from supermarkets

By NICK PERRY
Associated Press

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — New Zealand’s government says that from Saturday, it will be the first nation in the world to ban the thin plastic bags that supermarket customers use to collect their fruit and vegetables. The new ban will also extend to plastic straws and silverware, as the government expands a campaign against single-use plastics it started in 2019 when it banned the thicker plastic shopping bags that customers used to carry home their grocery items. These days, most customers bring their own reusable tote bags to stores. Officials estimate that on average, each New Zealander sends more than three-quarters of a ton of waste to landfills every year.