SINGAPORE — As major supermarkets prepare to charge shoppers for plastic bags from Monday (July 3), a debate is unfolding over whether their sale of house-brand bundles of plastic bags at a lower price undermines efforts to cut the reliance on single-use plastic.

This week, photos of house-brand plastic bags at a FairPrice store were posted on online forums. Some users said supermarkets are capitalising on a “good income opportunity” by selling house-brand plastic bags.

Another netizen questioned the sincerity of supermarkets in supporting environmental causes, saying: “It never was about the environment, and has everything to do with profiteering.”

In response to TODAY's queries, a FairPrice Group spokesperson said on Friday that single-use plastic bags have been available for purchase "over the years" while highlighting the organisation's efforts to encourage less use of plastic.

At FairPrice, small-size plastic bag bundles sell for S$2.60 per bundle of 60, costing about 4.3 cents per bag. That is somewhat cheaper than the five cents a bag to be charged at the checkout.

Of the five FairPrice outlets that TODAY visited, three stores were selling house-brand plastic bags. Two Cold Storage and one Giant store were selling them under Meadows, the house brand of the parent company, DFI Retail Group. 

No Sheng Siong outlets that TODAY visited were selling house-brand plastic bags. 

Responding to TODAY's queries, a DFI Retail Group spokesperson said that DFI's stores have been selling house-brand garbage bags since 2019 and that they also sell degradable garbage bags.

"DFI supports the move to reduce the amount of plastics, with team members regularly encouraging customers to bring their own bags or buy our reusable ones," the spokesperson said. 

Speaking to TODAY, environmentalists were split about how the continued sale of plastic bags should be seen in light of the new law, which is meant to help reduce single-use plastic bag usage. 

Ms Kong Man Jing, founder of environmental social media channel Just Keep Thinking, said that selling house-brand plastic bags “doesn't look good for the movement”.

“I think we have to look at the bigger picture that the whole point of the charging of the plastic bags is to encourage people to not use plastic bags… so (selling house-brand bundles) doesn't align with the goal of this movement,” she said. 

On the other hand, zero-waste advocate Robin Rheaume sees no problem with the house-brand bundles being sold. 

Ms Rheaume, who founded Recyclopedia.sg, said selling plastic bag bundles still makes consuming plastic bags a “conscious purchasing decision”, and people will not waste what they pay for. 

“The fact that people now have to think about this purchase and choose to take it off the shelf will change how careful they will be with (using plastic bags),” she said. 

WHAT SHOPPERS THINK

Shoppers interviewed by TODAY expressed divided opinions on the issue.

Mr Loh Huang Tiong, a 66-year-old operations manager, said that he now has “no choice” but to buy these bundles of plastic bags because he uses such bags for garbage disposal. 

Similarly, Ms Carol Ong, a 50-year-old housewife, said because plastic bags will be charged at five cents at checkout counters, she will buy them in bundles to use for garbage disposal. 

Still, she highlighted the need for more eco-friendly plastic bags. 

“I think it’s better to have some product that is environment-safe. If not, it is going to create another problem,” she said. 

Another environmentally conscious consumer was Ms Jasmine Baldos, a 41-year-old finance industry professional. 

Unlike other customers TODAY spoke to, Ms Baldos said she will not buy plastic bundles or take any at self-checkout counters. 

Ms Baldos disposes of food waste by composting it for her plants. For other types of garbage, she uses plastic bags from product packaging. 

Other consumers said they will continue to need plastic bags for household use, such as disposing of garbage. 

Another shopper, Mr Soong, 65, who asked that his full name not be published, thinks it is the right move to give people an option to buy these bundles of bags at a cheaper price than at the checkout counter.

The retiree said that those living in Housing and Development Board flats need plastic bags to dispose of garbage down the rubbish chute. Garbage that is not placed in bags would cause pest and hygiene problems.

Acknowledging consumers’ needs for plastic bags, Ms Kong from Just Keep Thinking said that the purpose of the five-cent charge is to reduce excessive usage, not eliminate plastic bag use completely. 

However, for Ms Kong, the purpose of charging for plastic bags should be not only to reduce plastic bag usage but also to alter the public attitude towards single-use products. 

Ms Kong’s concerns for the spirit of environmentalism are echoed by Mr Heng Li Seng, chief executive of environmental firm Green Nudge.

“Like any privately run organisation, supermarkets should be able to offer products that meet the needs of consumers, including house-brand plastic bags," he said.

"However, supermarkets that offer their house-brand bags should also be mindful that their messages should not run contrary to their sustainability efforts.”

To nudge people to reduce plastic bag usage, Mr Heng recommended that supermarkets be more transparent, by disclosing the number of bags used, money collected and how they will use the money to reduce single-use bags.