Walmart to charge 5 cents for plastic bags in Maritime stores

Walmart will start charging five cents for each plastic bag in Maritime storesstarting Oct. 17.

"We began informing customers in the Maritimes last week that we will stop giving out free single-use plastic shopping bags,"said Alex Roberton, senior director of corporate affairs for WalmartCanadain an emailstatement.

Roberton said the hope is that people will stop using plastic bags all togetherand that theyswitch to reusable bags instead.

That's not the only bag change Walmart will be implementing. The plastic bags they do use will be larger and stronger, in an attempt to use fewerbags that way.

Robertson said that in 2015, New Brunswickers used more than 32 million plastic bags.

A welcome change for some

Lois Corbett,the executive director of Conservation Council of New Brunswick,said she feelsthis is a good move for Walmart.

She said a big corporation, such as Walmart,should always be looking to find ways it can help the environment.

"Customers are ready for it," said Corbett.

"I think that New Brunswickers in particularunderstand the impact of wastefulness. We tend to be a quite thrifty type of people."

Corbettsaid she hopes Walmart's change will extend to other big corporations and start a snowball effect.

"What Walmart does, other retailers may have to do as well just to remain competitive," said Corbett.

But not everyone is happy about Walmart's decision, such asJaci Kay.

"I think it's the stupidest thing ever," said Kay.

"It's literallya bag.We can't carry 50 groceries in our hands 20 miles."