Walmart ends the use of plastic bags, more retailers expected to follow

It is Earth Day, and it’s also the first day that the world’s largest retailer has ended the use of plastic bags in their stores in Canada.

From now on when you shop at Walmart, you have to bring your own bag or buy one of the store's reusable ones, with more retailers expected to follow suit.

The switch on Friday meant Shyleen Campbell’s weekly shopping trip to Walmart in Kingston, Ont. came with a bit of a shock.

"When I went in today I definitely didn’t know I would be using those bags," Campbell explains. "I feel like it’s a good idea, but also it’s also a little bit of a pain."

Walmart is the latest grocery store chain in the country to get rid of single-use plastic bags. 

The company says making the change will help prevent more than half a billion single-use plastic bags from entering circulation each year.

"It’s better in general for the planet, so I’m just going to have to bring my bags next time," says Julia Merrell.

Plastic bags have already been removed from stores like Sobeys, Costco, and Farm Boy. 

But you can still get them at places like Metro, Loblaws and No Frills.

The federal government has announced a plan to end the use of single-use plastics across the country by the end of the year. 

That has Loblaws shopper Marlene Reaney bracing for the ban. 

"I am going to miss them," she says. "But it’s something that we knew was going to come, it has been coming for a long time. (It’s) something we have to accept." 

Kate Wilson, shopping at Walmart says that plastic bags can be useful. 

"You do use them for recycled bags for things, shoes and stuff for kids. So they are reusable," she explains.

She came prepared for her shopping trip, but says they should be an option.

"So if you want to pay for them, then you can pay for them,” she says. “But for them to be completely out? That’s odd."

As more retailers follow suit, forgetting a reusable bag, means spending extra dollars on a new one.

"Definitely made me think more about how many bags I was going to use rather than just grabbing a plastic bag and go, go, go,” says Campbell.