ZeroPlastic Movement demands Rs.10 minimum price for plastic bags, cites flaw in new regulation

The ZeroPlastic Movement is calling on the government to impose a minimum price of at least Rs.10 on all plastic shopping bags, warning that a new gazette set to take effect on November 1, 2025 may fail to reduce plastic pollution, due to a significant loophole.

The recently issued gazette extraordinary mandates that the retailers can no longer distribute plastic shopping bags for free. From November 1, any bag provided at the point of sale must be itemised with a price on the customer’s bill.

While welcoming the move in principle, the environmental advocacy group argues the regulation lacks a critical component: a minimum statutory price.

In a public statement, ZeroPlastic Movement Founder Nishshanka De Silva expressed “serious concern” over this omission. He pointed out that without a defined minimum charge, the retailers could sell bags for a nominal fee, such as one or two rupees.

“If the cost is too low, the customers will continue to request bags as usual and the supermarkets might even recover profits from selling them — instead of encouraging reusable alternatives,” the statement noted. 

The group believes such a low price point will be insufficient to drive the necessary behavioural change among the consumers to reduce single-use plastic consumption.

To ensure the regulation’s effectiveness, the ZeroPlastic Movement has urged the government to amend the gazette with three key measures. Firstly, it recommends defining a minimum price of at least Rs.10 per bag. Secondly, it emphasises the need for full transparency regarding the utilisation of the revenue generated from this charge. Finally, it suggests coupling the regulation with awareness campaigns to promote the adoption of reusable bags.

The movement warns that without these corrective actions, the new rule risks becoming “another missed opportunity in Sri Lanka’s fight against plastic pollution” and may not achieve its intended environmental goals. (NF)