SAN DIEGO — In about a year and a half, customers will no longer be asked for paper or plastic when they check out at a grocery store in California.They will just get paper bags.This comes after Governor Gavin Newsom signed a bill that goes into effect at the start of 2026.“There’s a tremendous amount of plastic floating around our oceans,” State Sen. Catherine Blakespear, D-Encinitas, said. “And so, this will help deal with that problem.
'I understand what they're trying to do, but their success rate has been zero so far. Actually, they've gone backwards with plastic bags,” Dirk Stump, a local grocery store owner, said.'I can only speak economically; it's going to cost the consumer more because paper bags are about three times as much as plastic bags.'Stump says a 2026 start is better than an immediate one, but he doesn’t feel this is the best path.