2026: Supermarkets, shopping centers that give out disposable plastic bags to customers will be fined

This is information given by Mr. Nguyen Trung Thang, deputy director of the Institute of Strategy and Policy on Natural Resources and Environment (Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment), at the workshop summarizing the pilot project “Initiative to establish the Union supermarket to reduce the consumption of single-use plastic bags in Vietnam” (PLASTIC ALLIANCE Project), taking place on April 20 in Hanoi.

The workshop was organized by the Institute of Strategy and Policy on Natural Resources and Environment (Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment) in collaboration with the Hanoi Department of Industry and Trade and the French Agency for International Technical Cooperation.

According to Mr. Nguyen Trung Thang, Vietnam has issued many legal documents to manage plastic waste. Our country has set a goal of striving by 2025 to use 100% of plastic bags and environmentally friendly packaging in commercial centers and supermarkets for living purposes to replace hard-to-decompose plastic bags; gradually reduce production and use of non-biodegradable plastic bags and disposable plastic products in daily life.

According to a survey by the Institute of Strategy, Policy on Resources and Environment, the average number of single-use plastic bags in supermarkets is up to 104,000 bags/day, equivalent to 38 million plastic bags/year. Of the 48 supermarkets surveyed, 46 are providing free plastic bags.

“From 2026, supermarkets and trade centers will be fined for providing disposable plastic bags to customers,” said Mr. Nguyen Trung Thang.

PLASTIC ALLIANCE project is an initiative of the project “Rethinking plastic – a circular economy solution for marine waste” funded by the European Union and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development. French international technical cooperation deployed in Vietnam to promote the use of environmentally friendly bags, contributing to reducing plastic waste, single-use plastic bags into the environment.

Within the framework of the project, the Alliance of Retailers to Reduce Plastic Bags was established with the commitment of 16 retailers to participate, as well as the active support of partners to reduce plastic waste.

The alliance’s activities have received active support from retailers and partners to reduce plastic waste, contributing to spreading the message of limiting the use of plastic bags and plastic products. once.

In the coming time, the project will continue to coordinate with members of the alliance to implement communication activities to change customer behavior, coordinate with retailers to develop and implement a plan to reduce bags. nylon throughout the system, while continuing to expand the scope and activities of the alliance.