Walmart’s Ridiculous Bag Ban Is Sweeping The US, Is Wyoming Next?
Have you heard that Walmart is changing it's starting wage to $14/hr? That's great.
You know what's not great? Walmart now charging for bags in some states and it's catching on. Is Wyoming next?
At the beginning of 2023, Colorado Walmart stores stopped giving out single-use plastic bags and paper bag options for customers to carry goods out of the store.
It wasn't just Colorado either. New York and Connecticut joined California, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, New Jersey, Oregon and Vermont as states that have eliminated the free bags from all stores, not just Walmart.
Walmart spokeswoman Lauren Willis told Business Insider
Eliminating single-use bags is part of our commitment to achieve zero waste across our operations and ultimately shift gradually toward a circular economy built on advancing reuse, refill and recycling habits
As someone that has lived in a state where bags were banned, it's horrible. Trips to Walmart aren't always planned, so if you don't put your bags back into your vehicle every time you go shopping, you either have to make a stop at home or buy new bags.
It's bad enough the bags that are provided now are cheap and thin, but not having the option is even worse.
Let me clear something up before we continue, Walmart will still offer bags, but you're going to have to pay for them. Reusable bags cost from $.74 - $3.98 (per bag) depending on what size, type and use you're paying for.
Then you have to remember to bring your bags into the store, or you have two options...you're pushing your groceries and other items to your car in the cart or you're spending $.74 - $3.98 (per bag) AGAIN.
If you've been to Sam's Club, you know the frustration of having to bring your own bags, find a box or put everything in your vehicle loose.
Walmart says it's goal is to achieve 'zero waste' by 2025 in all of it's stores in the US and Canada.
Walmart didn't say whether or not it would be eliminating single use bags in every state, but it sounds like they probably will.
It looks like we will have to add shopping bags to our 'things to bring to Walmart when shopping' list.
Currently only one county in Wyoming has a plastic bag ban and that's Teton County...Jackson. Every store is affected by this ban, not just Walmart or grocery stores, but offer paper bags to customers.
Do you know the story of Sam Walton and Walmart? Check out this video.