10 Cent Plastic Shopping Bag Fee Returns July 1

Gentle Reminder: Remember to bring in your reusable bags into the store again. The 10-cent fee on plastic shopping bags is coming back July 1.

The Department of Revenue Services issued a reminder on Friday that the temporary suspension of the state-imposed fee expires on June 30. Gov. Ned Lamont ordered the moratorium on March 26 in response to the coronavirus outbreak. Many grocery stores required customers to bag their own groceries if they brought along reusable bags during the pandemic.

Stew Leonard demonstrated safe shopping practices in this video. Stew's was one of the grocery stores that required shoppers to bag their own groceries if they brought along reusable bags.

The legislature and Lamont enacted the ten cent fee last year to discourage use of plastic bags until a statewide ban takes effect on July 1, 2021.

All retailers are required to charge the ten-cent fee and remit the revenue to the state. A number of big retailers stopped providing single-use plastic checkout bags before the 10-cent fee took effect last Aug. 1, as well as charging customers for paper bags. Some offer paper bags for no charge.