SPOKANE, Wash. — Walmart stores in Washington state are moving on from single-use plastic bags, but some shoppers aren't ready to let go.
As of Tuesday, April 18, the company has removed plastic carryout bags from all stores in the state. The change means that customers will need to bring their own bags into the store. Walmart will also offer reusable bags and containers for purchase. The change will also affect pickup customers, though Walmart said it will use paper bags for delivery orders.
Shoppers at the Walmart on Sprague Avenue spoke with KREM 2 about the change, and the opinions shared differed greatly.
"It seemed a little predatory, I guess, that my only option is to spend money on something I already have," said Brandon Shaw, who shops at Walmart.
The change comes as part of Walmart's "Bag Better" initiative. Its goal is to become a zero-waste company, which the company feels it can achieve by eliminating plastic bags.
"I think that it's more convenient because it's more environment safety," said Alyanna Lara, a Walmart shopper.
Even though Walmart has been warning its shopper for the past month, some shoppers like Shaw were still caught off guard.
"Little frustrating because I used self-checkout, so I had to put everything on the checkout and put it back on the cart," Shaw said.
Walmart says they have been exploring alternatives to plastic bags since 2021. Since last October, the company has rolled out Walmart-branded reusable bags.
"I feel like this is going to be a trendsetter, to be honest," Walmart shopper Josh Packer said. "I think it's going to start happening everywhere. You'll hear about it."
Three other states eliminated plastic bags on Tuesday, including Oregon, Washington D.C. and Delaware. There are now 10 states in total that have made this change. One shopper says this move shouldn't annoy anyone.
"I don't see why it should be at this point. It's been a long time coming," Kyle Otradovic said. "No one should be surprised by it."
In a statement to KREM 2, Walmart said they are "committed to identifying solutions that are scalable, convenient and sustainable."
Shaw wishes there was still a way Walmart could provide single-use bags.
"It's inconvenient," he said. "I wish there was some sort of middle ground maybe something that was biodegradable or compostable that we can use every time."
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