Some shops are not subject to the government’s new ban on giving out plastic bags for free, but have nonetheless begun offering discounts to encourage customers to bring their own bags or containers to carry purchased goods.
The restriction against offering free plastic shopping bags to customers went into effect on Monday and is an expansion of an earlier ban. It raises from seven to 14 the types of businesses that are banned from giving customers plastic bags for free.
The seven new types of businesses are pharmacies, medical equipment retailers, electronics stores, bookstores and stationery shops, laundries, beverage shops and bakeries.
The original restriction introduced in 2002 banned government facilities, schools, department stores and shopping centers, convenience stores, fast food restaurants, hypermarkets, supermarkets and other establishments from offering free plastic bags to customers.
However, the expanded ban does not include some shops, such as breakfast eateries, but some of these businesses have begun offering discounts to encourage customers to bring their own containers or bags.
Chen Yu-chen (陳俞辰), a breakfast shop manager, on Thursday told the Central News Agency that his store usually uses five to six bags of plastics bags each day.
In support of the ban, he launched special discount offers to spur customers to bring their own containers or bags and raise public awareness about the importance of environmental protection.
It was not clear whether more shops would follow suit. Many business owners fear customers would complain or be put off if they are not given plastic bags for their purchases.
However, there is support for the measure, even among shops that are affected by the ban.
Peng Chih-cheng (彭志成), owner of beverage shop Mao Tou Ying Cha Sen Lin, said he donates to charity the money that customers pay to purchase plastic bags, to show them that his shops do not benefit from the ban and to encourage them to bring their own bags.
Brucevil Chen (陳人平), CEO of HiiN studio, which promotes marine education, said shoppers do not have to prepare a new shopping bag, but can start by reusing their old plastic bags.
It remains to be seen what effect the new ban will have on reducing the use of plastic bags in Taiwan.
The ban still allows stores, such as bakeries, to continue providing bags that are used to wrap individual food items, even if they cannot give out free bags to carry all the purchased goods.
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