Paper, NOT plastic: California bans all plastic shopping bags

California is set to ban all plastic shopping bags at checkouts starting in 2026 under a new law signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom on Sunday.

This expands on a previous ban that eliminated flimsy “single-use” plastic bags, but allowed stores to continue selling thick, supposedly reusable bags. That measure did nothing to curb plastic use — it actually made things worse. A state study found that plastic bag waste increased between 2004 and 2021.

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The California Public Interest Research Group says the new law finally matches the intent of the original bag ban.

"Californians voted to ban plastic grocery bags in our state almost a decade ago, but the law clearly needed a redo,” said Jenn Engstrom, the group’s director. “With the governor's signature, California has finally banned plastic bags in grocery checkout lanes once and for all."

State Sen. Ben Allen, who co-authored the bill, said that stores can still provide paper bags to shoppers who don’t bring their own reusable bags.

12 states, including California, have some type of statewide plastic bag ban in place.

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