Local retailers in Yarra are urged to get prepared for the state-wide ban on lightweight plastic shopping bags before it takes effect from 1 November 2019.
Formally announced by the Victorian government in June 2018, this new law will help reduce the impacts of plastics on our environment by promoting the shift from single-use plastic bags to durable, quality bags that can be reused.
The Victorian Bag Ban will apply to all businesses that sell goods, including; supermarkets, greengrocers, bakeries, pharmacies, clothes stores, restaurants, cafes, markets, food outlets, and many more.
This means that from November 2019, retailers will not be allowed to supply lightweight plastic shopping bags in Victoria. The Environmental Protection Authority will be managing compliance with the ban and penalties will apply to retailers who sell or provide a banned plastic bag or who give false or misleading information about non-compliant bags.
What will change?
What bags will be banned?
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What bags will not be banned?
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Reusable alternatives
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For local businesses/retailers
How can retailers/businesses retailers do to prepare for the ban?
- Stop buying banned bags as soon as possible and start depleting your stock of lightweight plastic shopping bags.
- If you are ready, you can stop providing lightweight plastic shopping bags straight away. You don’t need to wait for the ban.
- You are not legally required to offer an alternative bag and it is up to you whether a small fee is charged for alternative bags.
- Encourage your customers to use and remember their reusable bags and only offer a reusable bag when they specifically request it. .
Resources
To prepare for the Vic Bag Ban the National Retail Association have created a dedicated website of resources to assist retailers during the transition, including:
- official signage to display in-store
- fact sheets in multiple language
- training kits for in-store teams, and
- real-life case studies and pictures of what other retailers are doing.
