{"id":31739,"date":"2026-02-09T08:24:33","date_gmt":"2026-02-09T13:24:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.wasserstrom.com\/blog\/?p=31739"},"modified":"2026-02-09T08:24:35","modified_gmt":"2026-02-09T13:24:35","slug":"will-the-plastic-bag-ban-affect-your-restaurant","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wasserstrom.com\/blog\/2026\/02\/09\/will-the-plastic-bag-ban-affect-your-restaurant\/","title":{"rendered":"Will the Plastic Bag Ban Affect Your Restaurant?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

As of early 2026, across dozens of jurisdictions, plastic bags are being phased out. We give you the lowdown on the plastic bag bans, the adversaries, the economic reality for restaurants, and how to approach customer messaging.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

States With Plastic Bag Bans<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Big<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

As of January 1, 2026, many regions have moved beyond partial restrictions to implement “loophole-free” bans. In the United States, California\u2019s SB 1053<\/a> has officially taken effect, eliminating the “thick plastic” exception that previously allowed retailers and restaurants to provide heavy-duty plastic bags under the guise of reusability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

California (pictured above at Big Sur<\/a>) and a dozen other states \u2014 New York, New Jersey, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington \u2014 and more than 500 municipalities (for instance, 160 cities and towns in Massachusetts) have effectively removed single-use film plastic<\/a> from the point of sale.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

States With a Ban on Bans<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"One<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In states like Florida, Ohio, and Texas, it is illegal to ban plastic bags due to “preemption laws<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Legal Loopholes <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Oftentimes, preemption laws exist due to state economic policies aligning with manufacturing interests above all others. For example, when Cincinnati, OH and Athens<\/a>, OH passed local bans to protect Lake Erie and local waterways, the state legislature stepped in to override them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the Lone Star State, the Texas Supreme Court<\/a> ruled that cities cannot prohibit or restrict a container for “solid waste management purposes.” Framing it as a different kind of waste issue gives Texas, and other states, the legal loophole they need to invalidate local autonomy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Special Interest Groups<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The ban on bans can also be traced back to two interconnected entities. First is the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC)<\/a>, a group that provides lobbyist-approved model legislation to conservative state lawmakers. The other entity is the American Recyclable Plastic Bag Alliance (ARPBA)<\/a>, also known as a lobbying arm of the plastics <\/a>industry<\/a> that relies on high-stakes legal bullying.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Economics of the Switch<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"A<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

For restaurant owners, plastic bag bans may affect your bottom line if you don’t employ a solid strategy. It is a reality that, on a per-unit basis, traditional single-use plastic bags have historically been the cheapest option, often costing less than $0.01 per bag<\/a>. High-quality recycled paper bags and compostable alternatives range between $0.04 and $0.08 per unit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some restaurants are offsetting these costs by charging customers an extra $0.10 or $0.15 cents at checkout. This model works well because many restaurants reach a point of “total cost of ownership” neutrality, where the bag no longer acts as a hidden overhead expense but as a self-sustaining part of the service<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Customer Communication <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Healthy<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

A successful transition largely depends on how a restaurant tells its story. Modern diners are buying into a brand’s ethics. Findings from the 2025 Sustainable Packaging Consumer Report<\/a> state that 90% of consumers are more likely to support brands that prioritize eco-friendly packaging. Given that, smart operators are moving away from “the law says we have to” messaging to an environmental narrative.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Ecological Dividend<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"A<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Moving away from plastic is a necessary intervention. For the restaurant industry, the benefits are multi-layered:<\/p>\n\n\n\n