New World, Four Square and Pak'nSave to ban plastic bags from checkouts from January 1 next year

Grocery and liquor giant Foodstuffs has announced all retail and wholesale brands part of the 100% New Zealand Co-operative will no longer provide plastic bags at checkouts from January 1 next year, in a statement today.

Some of their stores have already become plastic bag-free, including New World Devonport and Four Squares in Raglan, Matakana and Martinborough.

"Since we started this conversation, we've seen between a 20-36 per cent drop in plastic bag usage in our stores – but by the time January 1 rolls around this change will have removed more than 350 million plastic bags from circulation," Foodstuffs New Zealand managing director Steve Anderson said.

New World Howick and Marton, and Pak 'n Save Silverdale, will be plastic bag-free by August 29.

Liquorland will also begin phasing out plastic bags by the end of February next year.

"By the end of March next year, we will have given away a reusable bag to pretty much every New Zealander. The more we all change to reusables, the faster we stop plastic bags ending up in the environment."

Countdown supermarket has already pledged to end the use of single-use plastic bags in its stores by the end of 2018.