Single-use Shopping Bags

Banned in New Zealand from 1 July

What you need to know

Plastic bags which are banned

The ban applies to all new single-use plastic shopping bags with handles that are made of plastic up to 70 microns in thickness.

This includes:

•  Light-weight plastic bags commonly found at supermarket, takeaway food and other retail checkouts
•  Heavier boutique-style plastic shopping bags commonly found at department or clothing stores
•  ‘Emergency’ bags offered by some supermarkets as an alternative to a free single-use plastic bag.

Examples of banned bags:

Biodegradable and Compostable Bags are also banned

The ban also includes bags made of degradable plastic and plant based plastics. This is regardless of whether the plastic material is made from fossil-fuel or biological sources such as plants.

This includes biodegradable, compostable and oxy-degradable plastics bags. These are sometimes marketed as 'not plastic' and may have these icons:  

Example of bags that are NOT banned

Shop here for our selection of Paper Bags:

Tool kit for Business

Single Use Plastic and Plant Based Bags

Facts for businesses

Information for businesses on the single-use plastic shopping bags ban which took effect New Zealand on 1 July 2019.

Answering customers questions

The ban on single-use plastic shopping bags began on 1 July 2019. Customers may have questions about the new regulations. See our suggested answers.

Alternatives: Guidance for businesses

The ban on single-use plastic shopping bags began on 1 July 2019. Your business needs to either offer an alternative solution (free or at a cost) or ask customers to bring their own bags.

Posters for businesses to communicate to Customers

Let your customers know about the phase out of single-use plastic shopping bags. Put up a poster in store.