The following guide provides information about the ban on plastic shopping bags, plastic barrier bags and plastic food bag tags.
At a glance
These bans will commence on 1 September 2024:
- Ban on all plastic barrier bags which are not Australian Standard (AS) certified compostable, and are used to contain or protect unpackaged fresh fruit or vegetables, nuts or confectionery.
- Ban on all plastic film shopping bags which are not Australian Standard (AS) certified compostable
- Ban on plastic-laminated paper shopping bags
- Ban on all plastic food bag tags used to close plastic bags containing food
Bans will commence on 1 September 2025 for:
- all plastic barrier bags which are not Australian Standard (AS) certified compostable and are used to contain or protect unpackaged dairy products, meat, poultry or fish (including seafood).
As a result of public consultation on the proposed regulations and consideration of feedback from the community, businesses and manufacturers, there will be several temporary exemptions.
Until 31 August 2027 an exemption applies for plastic film shopping bags used to donate goods to charitable organisations to enable these to be reused as a shopping bag for items purchased or supplied from a thrift shop or other charitable retail outlet run by the organisation.
Until 31 August 2029 an exemption applies for a plastic food bag tag (previously referred to as ‘bread bag tag’) used to hold closed a bag of potatoes or carrots weighing 2kg or more.
Plastic barrier bags
What will be banned?
A plastic bag without handles (known as either a ‘produce bag’ or ‘barrier bag’) which is used to contain and protect unpackaged produce, nuts and confectionery.
From 1 September 2024 there will be a ban on all plastic barrier bags which are not Australian Standard (AS) certified compostable, used to contain or protect unpackaged fresh fruit or vegetables, nuts or confectionery. Certified compostable bags must be clearly labelled compostable.
From 1 September 2025, the ban will be extended to all plastic barrier bags which are not Australian Standard (AS) certified compostable, used to contain or protect unpackaged dairy products, meat, poultry or fish. Certified compostable bags must be clearly labelled compostable.
The ban does not include plastic sleeves used to package or protect herbs or flowers. However, any barrier bag that is used to provide additional protection from leakage from packaging, such as for pre-packed meat, poultry, fish (including seafood), herbs or flowers, must be AS certified compostable.
What won’t be banned?
- AS certified compostable bioplastic barrier bags clearly labelled with certification details
- Reusable bags including nylon mesh and cotton bags
- Paper bags
- Plastic bags used for non-food and non-perishable items
- Plastic bags used for pre-packaging fruit and vegetables, nuts, confectionery, dairy products, meat, poultry or fish
- Plastic bags used to vacuum seal packaging of dairy products, meat, poultry or fish
- Plastic zip-lock bags
- Multipacks of plastic bags sold on-shelf (such as freezer bags, storage bags, zip-lock bags, bin liners, garbage bags, nappy bags)
- Plastic sleeves used to package or protect herbs or flowers
Thick plastic/boutique plastic shopping bags
Recent research found that 98% of South Australian survey respondents already own reusable shopping bags, and 25% of respondents do not use plastic shopping bags at all. While the representative survey found that 60% of respondents will sometimes or rarely use a heavyweight plastic bag, only 27% of respondents indicated a preference for these bags.
Heavyweight plastic bags are more commonly accepted or purchased in retail settings (80%) compared to grocery shopping (70%) or takeaway food shopping (67%).
In the time since this research was conducted in 2023, the major Australian supermarket chains have moved to offering paper bags for customers, instead of heavyweight plastic bags, as well as a large variety of sturdy reusable bags made from a range of materials. National retailers have also moved to offering non-plastic shopping bags in response to bans on plastic bags in Western Australia and the ACT.
What will be banned?
- Heavyweight film plastic shopping bags (>35 microns) – noting that the 2009 ban on lightweight plastic shopping bags under 35 microns will continue
- Plastic-laminated paper shopping bags or plastic-laminated cardboard shopping bags
A temporary exemption until 31 August 2027 applies to plastic film shopping bags used to donate goods to charitable organisations after 1 September 2024. The plastic shopping bag may be reused for items purchased or supplied from a thrift or other charitable retail outlet run by the organisation.
There will also be exemptions for:
- AS certified compostable shopping bags clearly labelled
- In line with plastic bag bans in Western Australia and the ACT reusable bags made, in whole or in part, of one or more of the following fabrics will be permitted:
- nylon
- polyester
- woven polypropylene
- non-woven polypropylene, if:
- the bag has sewn, rather than heat-welded, seams
- the fabric has a minimum weight of 90g/m² measured as a single layer of fabric.
What won’t be banned?
- Plastic bags which are an integral part of the packaging in which goods are sealed for sale (such as pre-packed bread, pre-packed fruit and vegetables, pre-packed hot roast chickens and pre-packed grapes)
- Shopping bags made wholly from non-plastic materials (such as paper, calico, hemp, canvas and jute)
- Multipacks of plastic bags sold on-shelf (such as freezer bags, storage bags, bin liners, garbage bags, nappy bags)
- Empty plastic laminated paper bags sold for gift giving
- Reusable shopping bags (including cooler bags) made, in whole or in part, of nylon, polyester, woven polypropylene and in the case of non-woven polypropylene, if the bag has sewn, rather than heat-welded, seams and the fabric has a minimum weight of 90g/m² measured as a single layer of fabric.
Plastic food bag tags
What will be banned?
- Single-use tags, designed or intended to hold food product bags closed, including (but not limited to) bread bags, produce bags and rice cakes.
A temporary exemption until 31 August 2029 applies for a plastic food bag tag (previously referred to as ‘bread bag tag’) used to hold closed a bag of potatoes or carrots weighing 2kg or more.
What won’t be banned?
- Similar devices attached to a label for fresh produce where it is not used to close a bag
- Cardboard single-use or limited use devices used to hold plastic bags closed
- Reusable plastic devices and clips that are designed and intended to be used many times to re-seal different bags after they have been opened
- Plastic tape, plastic cable ties and plastic twist ties
- Plastic food bag tags used to hold closed a bag of potatoes or carrots weighing 2kg or more.
FAQs
- What are AS certified compostable products?
- What is the difference between Australia's industrial composting standard (AS 4736:2006) and Australia's home composting standard (AS 5810:2010)?
- Why are AS certified compostable barrier bags being permitted?
- Why is there a delay on AS certified compostable barrier bags being required for meat, poultry, dairy and fish?
- Why is there an exemption for AS certified compostable shopping bags?
- Why is there a temporary exemption for charitable organisations supplying plastic shopping bags?
- Why is there a temporary exemption for plastic food bag tags used to close bags of potatoes and carrots of 2kg or more?