Kmart and Target to rid all stores of single-use plastic shopping bags

Two more major retailers are set to follow in the footsteps of Coles and Woolworths and ditch free plastic bags in Victorian stores.

Kmart and Target are preparing to abolish free plastic bags at Victorian stores.

The discount chains expect to stop handing out the lightweight bags by March or April next year once stocks run out.

Shoppers will instead have to bring their own bags, or pay for thicker plastic or fabric alternatives.

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To ready customers for the change, Kmart will in coming weeks start selling thicker, reusable plastic bags for 15c-30c.

It already offers fabric bags for $1-$3, depending on size.

Shoppers at Kmart and Target in Victoria will soon need to bring their own bags or pay for reusable ones. Picture: Jerad Williams

Queensland and Western Australia outlawed lightweight plastic shopping bags from July 1, joining bans in South Australia, Tasmania, the ACT and Northern Territory.

Wesfarmers’ department stores division corporate affairs senior manager Steve Mann said remaining bags in Queensland and Western Australia had been transferred to stores in Victoria, New South Wales and New Zealand to be used up instead of dumped into landfill.

Single-use bag supplies were expected to run out by March or April.

“We wanted to avoid extra bags going into landfill and instead are ensuring the remaining ones are used up,” Mr Mann said.

“It was a matter of principle given the purpose of the change is environmental.”

In Victoria, new laws will be introduced to wipe out single-use lightweight plastic bags by the end of 2019.

Supermarkets Coles and Woolworths have stopped handing out lightweight shopping bags nationwide. Picture: AAP

Mr Mann expected customers to easily adapt to the elimination of single-use plastic bags.

“In other states where they have already been removed we didn’t really have negative feedback, probably because it’s happening right across the grocery and retail sector.

“There is always an adjustment period but everyone is getting used to the idea of bringing their own bags.”

Encouraging customers to bring their own or buy reusable versions is tipped to slash the number of plastic shopping bags issued to customers by 80 per cent over coming years.

Major supermarkets Coles and Woolworths axed free plastic bags in Victoria several months ago.

It was this week revealed that retailers have been put on notice to voluntarily phase out thick plastic bags or face a government-ordered ban in Victoria.

The Andrews Government is leaving the door open to expanding its plastic pollution crackdown to thicker plastic bags used in department stores and supermarkets “if voluntary action isn’t effective”.

State and federal environment ministers have been working with retailers on plans for a voluntary national phase-out of thick plastic bags for more than 18 months.

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@KarenCollierHS