Whole Foods Discontinues 10-Cent Bag Credit for Customers Who Bring in Reusable Bags

A Shift in the Tides

Whole Foods, an American supermarket chain with locations in 45 states, Canada, and the United Kingdom, has discontinued its program that offered customers a 10-cent grocery bag credit for bringing in reusable bags. The 10-cent bag credit program, often referred to as the BYOB (Bring Your Own Bag) refund, was implemented in 2008 as a means to encourage customers to adopt using reusable bags.

A Head Start on the Trend

The BYOB refund program was ahead of its time, as the years went by, and the practice of using reusable bags became more widespread. In 2017, under then-Mayor Rahm Emmanuel, the City of Chicago implemented a 7-cent tax on checkout bags aimed at reducing the circulation of one-use plastic bags. A study conducted by the University of Chicago’s Urban Labs found that this tax reduced disposable bag use from 82% of consumers to just 54%, while doubling reusable bag use from 13% to 29% within the first month of the tax in 2017. The study also found that this trend persisted over time.

A New Development

As a part of Chicago’s budget that passed for fiscal year 2025, the city voted to increase the checkout bag tax from seven cents to ten cents, with nine cents from every bag going to the city and one cent from every bag going to retailers. Despite this, Whole Foods has decided to sunset the BYOB refund program, citing the widespread adoption of reusable bags as the reason for the discontinuation.

A Commitment to Sustainability

According to a company spokesperson, Whole Foods continues to encourage customers to maintain the environmentally friendly habit of bringing their own bags. The company remains committed to sustainability and reducing its environmental impact.

FAQs

* What was Whole Foods’ BYOB refund program?
The 10-cent bag credit program that incentivized customers to bring in reusable bags.
* Why did Whole Foods discontinue the program?
The company cited the widespread adoption of reusable bags as the reason for the discontinuation.
* What is the current state of the bag tax in Chicago?
The city has increased the checkout bag tax from seven cents to ten cents, with nine cents from every bag going to the city and one cent from every bag going to retailers.
* Will Whole Foods continue to encourage customers to bring in reusable bags?
Yes, the company remains committed to sustainability and reducing its environmental impact.