Business & Tech

Most Favor Plastic Bag Ban: Should Newport Outlaw Them?

A Roger Williams University survey finds shoppers aren't turned away from stores when paper and reusable are the only bags available.

Most shoppers favor a ban on plastic bags, prefer to use reusable bags when they shop, and don't tend to shop any less in towns that ban plastic bags.

Those are the results of a consumer survey on the plastic bag ban Barrington enacted in January, completed by four Roger Williams University students under the direction of political science professor Joseph Roberts

In a lengthy online survey completed by 358 of 450 potential respondents, 56 percent support the bag ban, 38 percent do not, and 6 percent did not know. Reusable bags were always selected or selected most of the time by 211 people to replace plastic grocery bags for grocery items, according to the survey. Paper bags were selected always or most of the time by 151 people. 

Fifty-nine percent of people — 214 — shop about the same as they did in Barrington before the ban was imposed by the Town Council. Another 12 percent shop significantly more or somewhat more, according to the survey. Twenty-eight percent of people shop somewhat less or significantly less than before the ban. 

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Among the other results:

  • 64 percent do not favor a fee be charged for paper checkout bags.
  • 50 percent favor a statewide ban on plastic bags; 41 percent do not favor such a ban.
  • Most shoppers always or most of the time used plastic or reusable bags before the ban; paper bags were least chosen.
  • 54 percent of people do not bring their own bags when shopping for groceries; 46 percent do. 
Given the survey results and the environmental impact of the plastic bags that do not biodegrade, should Newport consider banning plastic bags in the city? Let us know in the comments section below.

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