Single-use plastic produce bags
From 1 July 2023, the sale or manufacture of single-use plastic produce bags is not permitted.
Description of banned product
Single-use plastic produce bags are unsealed plastic bags that are provided by the store or retailer to pack fresh fruits and vegetables at a place of purchase.
This ban includes single-use plastic produce bags made of:
- recyclable plastic
- biodegradable plastic
- plant-based or compostable plastic.
There are no exemptions to the ban on single-use plastic produce bags.
For help with talking to customers about the changes, see Talking to others about the 1 July bans.
What’s not included
The regulations do not ban single-use plastic bags if they are part of the packaging for pre-packaged produce.
Pre-packaged means fruit or vegetables that are bagged (sealed or not sealed) before being put on sale.
On this basis, the ban does not include a plastic bag that is or forms an integral part of, the packaging. Examples include pre-packaged mesclun lettuce, a sealed bag of apples, a sealed bag of potatoes or sugar snap peas, leafy greens and herbs in a plastic sleeve, or bagged lettuce.
The packaging examples below are not included in the ban.
Alternatives
While single-use plastic produce bags will no longer be permitted, the following alternatives may be used:
- Fibre-based (paper) produce bags. The Ministry recommends that all fibre-based products are free from Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) — See key terms for more information on PFAS.
- Reusable produce bags that are not single-use. Single-use for an item means the item is designed or intended to be used only once or a limited number of times before being disposed of, discarded or diverted.
- You can also go without a bag altogether when picking out produce to purchase.