Charging for plastic bags sends trash bag sales soaring

The eco scam of paid plastic bags
Have you ever wondered whether charging for plastic bags actually reduces their use? A study in two Texas cities found that, once the fee was introduced, trash bag sales soared. The logic is perverse: without free bags from the supermarket, people buy more bags specifically for the trash, often thicker and made with more plastic. The net result can be an increase in total plastic consumption.

What's behind the measure: ecology or business?
The Texas data suggest that the intended effect—less plastic—has been reversed. But was that really the goal? Several analyses point to the measure being more geared toward generating revenue for manufacturers and retail chains than toward reducing waste. If the aim were ecological, paper or compostable bags would have been chosen instead of charging for plastic ones. The suspicion that it is a hidden tax is reinforced by the fact that margins on paid plastic bags are higher than on free ones.

Stockpiling as a rational response
Faced with rising prices, some consumers respond by stockpiling. Large purchases of bags (200 units) have been documented ahead of shortages caused by rising oil prices or restrictions. Far from reducing consumption, this behavior brings it forward and concentrates it, creating market distortions.

The upshot is that the consumer pays more, the manufacturer earns more, and the environment gains nothing. Like so many other measures labeled as sustainable, the only thing being sustained here is the income of a few.