Plastic bags will be phased out in the next two weeks at Sobeys stores. Reusable bags or paper bags can be purchased. (Photo by Chantal Wagner)

By Chantal Wagner

Making the switch

Sobeys removing plastic bags at the end of the month

Jan 20, 2020 | 4:02 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – A reminder to pack along your reusable bags when grocery shopping in the coming weeks.

While most stores charge 5 cents for plastic bags, Sobeys stores across Canada will be banning plastic shopping bags as of January 31, 2020, to go green.

Shoppers had about 6 months to prepare.

Owner of Sobeys Cornerstone in Medicine Hat Vince Wlad believes the change will be very well received by customers, adding, they were asking for this change as well.

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“Right now we have probably about 65% of our customers already using recyclable bags so it will be a really easy transition.”

He says if you forget your reusable bag, paper bags will be available for purchase for 10 cents.

Those funds will be donated to a tree-planting organization in Canada.

Wlad says, “I can remember when I started in the business 35 years ago and it was paper bags, that’s all it was.”

He says their store goes through thousands of plastic bags a week, but that’s down about 50% even before the reusable bag initiative was started.