BAG BAN BEGINS

THE cost of visiting the supermarket will be more expensive for Victorian Woolworths customers from today and Coles shoppers from July 1 as the companies ditch free single-use plastic bags.

Consumers choosing to buy bags will be stung 15 cents per reusable plastic bag at the checkout or from 99 cents for a foldable bag.

National Seniors Australia chief advocate Ian Henschke said it was yet another burden for pensioners who would be hardest hit by the ban.

It comes into force in Queensland, NSW, Victoria and WA and falls in line with other states and territories.

“It is another cost that will hit older people, particularly aged pensioners who are struggling on fixed incomes to survive,’’ Mr Henschke said.

Woolworths is the first big supermarket to remove free grey plastic bags from today.

Coles will take longer to dump the bags, removing them from all stores nationally from July 1.

The bag ban is an environmental move to reduce the impact of the plastic on the environment.

Many countries have ditched plastic bags, including via full or partial bans, following Bangladesh, which was the first country to ban them, in 2002.

Others to reduce bag use include Rwanda, China, Taiwan, some US states, Macedonia, Kenya and some western European countries.

Financial comparison website Canstar Blue spokesman Simon Downes said dumping of single-use bags “is going to be a culture shock to a lot of shoppers”.

“It’s a change that’s going to take a while for people to adjust to,’’ Mr Downes said.

“No longer are you just budgeting for food and groceries, you need to make sure you factor in the cost of buying bags.

“No one can doubt that banning single-use plastic bags is good for the environment, but if you’re personally not careful, it’s not going to be very good for your supermarket spending.”