STAFF CORRESPONDENT

More than 63 percent of retailers continue to use banned polythene shopping bags despite being aware of the prohibition, as per a recent survey, suggesting that awareness alone is not enough to ensure compliance.

The study, conducted by Environment and Social Development Organization (ESDO) among 100 retailers and 1,942 consumers between July 2025 and June 2026, found that half of the retailers use more than 50 polythene bags a day, while only 2 percent reported not using any.

It said affordability, accessibility, convenience and long-standing habits remain the main drivers of polythene use among both consumers and retailers. Rural and informal markets are particularly dependent on polythene bags due to their low cost and convenience for small purchases.

The study also identified weak enforcement of the ban, legal loopholes, lack of environmental education, limited availability of alternatives, political influence, and coordination gaps among responsible institutions as key structural reasons behind continued widespread use of polythene bags.

The findings were presented in a report titled “Beyond the Ban: Unpacking Polythene Dependency in Bangladesh” at ESDO’s Lalmatia office yesterday.

Presenting the findings, project lead Noshin Naila said Bangladesh emerged as a global environmental pioneer by introducing a ban on polythene shopping bags in 2002, yet around 25 million bags are still discarded daily in Dhaka alone.

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