Australia reduces 80% of plastic bag consumption in three months

When major retail chains decided to ban plastic bags in Australian stores this year, it caused quite an uproar.

The controversial new rules have seen traditional plastic bags disappear from stores, something some shoppers have struggled to accept, however, many embraced the change, applauding local authorities for leading a change environmental.

Since introducing reusable bags three months ago, the country's two largest supermarkets have prevented an estimated 1.5 billion plastic bags from entering the environment.

Three months later, the radical change translated into an 80% drop in plastic bag consumption nationwide, according to the National Retail Association (NRA).

“In fact, some retailers report markdown rates of up to 90%,” NRA's David Stout told the AAP.

Stout said the ban was a "brave" move by big supermarkets and is paving the way for way for smaller companies, which typically cannot afford to risk the wrath of their customers.

“Obviously, the best thing for smaller businesses is to encourage returnable bags or have the customer pay for the bags,” he said. “They should be able to consider this strategy without fear of backlash.”

New South Wales is the only state in the country without at least one commitment to ban single-use bags. The state of Victoria has pledged to eliminate them in 2019.