Shoppers not giving up on plastic bags despite pollution hazard

Harry Mattai displays one of the supermarket’s reusable shopping bags. The bags, which come in two sizes (the larger one is featured in the photo above) are sold for between $100 and $150.

Although government recently announced its decision to consider a ban on single-use plastics, a change of culture rather than a change in policy may be what is first needed to tackle plastic pollution.

While the government prepares to deliberate on the latest strategy in its agenda to achieve a green economy, at least one local supermarket has been fighting behind the scenes for years to reshape the habits of its customer base by encouraging the use of reusable bags over single-use plastic ones.

But supermarket owner Harry Mattai can attest to the adage that old habits die hard.