California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill banning plastic bags from grocery store checkouts, including the thicker, "reusable" bags that stores switched to after an earlier ban.

Paper or plastic” will no longer be a choice at grocery store checkout lines in California under a new law signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom.

California is banning all plastic shopping bags at grocery store checkouts under legislation that Gov. Gavin Newsom signed on Sunday. Why it matters: The law that takes effect on Jan. 1, 2026, honors the intent of a ban on single-use bags "enacted 10 years ago that allowed stores to sell customers thicker plastic carryout bags that were considered reusable and met certain recyclability standards,

California shoppers will no longer be asked paper or plastic at grocery store checkouts as a new law signed by Governor Gavin Newsom bans all plastic shopping bags

"Paper or plastic" will no longer be a choice at grocery store checkout lines in California under a new law signed Sunday by Gov. Gavin Newsom that bans all plastic shopping bags. California had already banned thin plastic shopping bags at supermarkets and other stores,

The new law toughens a 2014 measure and prohibits the sale of reusable bags, which actually increased the amount of garbage in the Golden State.

California and other states -- and some cities -- have learned a lesson: Bans on plastic bags don’t always go as planned. In fact, California's original ban made things worse.

California is banning single-use plastic grocery bags again after a previous ban allowed thicker plastic bags, leading to increased plastic waste in landfills.Bill Chappell reports for NPR.In short:California's 2014 ban allowed stores to sell thicker plastic bags,

In California, shoppers will no longer be offered plastic bags at the grocery store checkout. Under a new law, effective January 1, 2026, single-use shopping bags are banned from any point of sale. This includes bags made from plastic,