Chinese stores stop offering free plastic bags
A shopper puts groceries he bought in his own bag after stores in China stopped giving free plastic bags at a supermarket in Beijing June 1, 2008. China is about to try to kick a 3 billion-a-day plastic bag habit. The world's most populous nation on Sunday will join a growing list of countries, from Ireland to Bangladesh, that are aiming to change shoppers' habits when a ban on the production of plastic bags under 0.025 millimetres thick comes into force.
A cashier brings out a plastic bag for 0.30 yuan after customers agreed to pay extra to put the items they bought at a supermarket in Beijing June 1, 2008.
A shopper carries groceries she bought in a plastic bag which she paid 0.30 yuan for after stores in China stopped giving free plastic bags at a supermarket in Beijing June 1, 2008.
A staff member packs a customer's items into plastic bags at a supermarket in Changzhi, Shanxi Province May 31, 2008.