That will not be an issue starting in 2026.

Governor Gavin Newsom recently signed a bill that bans all plastic shopping bags at grocery and other stores. Several years ago, the state banned single-use plastic bags, but shoppers could purchase heavier weight plastic bags that were supposed to be reusable. Most of these reusable bags apparently were neither reused nor recycled. A state study showed that in 2004, 8 pounds of plastic shopping bags ended up in the trash. By 2021, that number grew to 11 pounds per year per person. Starting in 2026 consumers, shoppers will have paper bags at checkout if they don't bring their own bags.