don don donki plastic bags | Don Don Donki Brings Back Plastic Bags

05/20/2025

Reading Time : 5 min

Summary: Japanese supermarket chain don don donki plastic bags in Singapore after a seven-month hiatus. The newly introduced bags are biodegradable, cost five cents each, and are designed to minimize environmental impact. This decision reverses the company’s October 2024 move to stop selling plastic bags and comes in response to customer feedback highlighting the inconvenience of shopping without them, particularly for unplanned visits. While encouraging the use of reusable bags, Don Don Donki aims to balance customer needs with environmental responsibility.

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Don Don Donki Reintroduces Biodegradable Plastic Bags After Customer Feedback

Don Don Donki resumes offering plastic bags at its 17 Singapore outlets starting May 19th.
The new bags are biodegradable and eco-friendly, priced at five cents each.
This move comes seven months after the supermarket chain halted plastic bag sales in October 2024.
The company encourages customers to continue using their own reusable bags.
The decision follows feedback from customers who found it inconvenient to shop without readily available bags.

don don donki plastic bags Don Don Donki Brings Back Plastic Bags

Don Don Donki Reintroduces Biodegradable Plastic Bags: A Step Towards Customer Convenience and Environmental Responsibility

In a move that has sparked both support and debate among its customer base, popular Japanese supermarket chain Don Don Donki has announced the reintroduction of plastic bags at all 17 of its outlets across Singapore. Effective from May 19th, shoppers will once again have the option to purchase a plastic bag for a nominal fee of five cents. This decision comes a mere seven months after the retailer ceased the sale of all plastic bags on October 1st, 2024.

The newly available plastic bags are not the conventional, environmentally persistent kind. Don Don Donki has emphasized their commitment to sustainability by opting for biodegradable and eco-friendly alternatives.

According to the company’s statement released on the same day as the announcement, these bags are “specially designed to break down naturally over time and reduce negative impacts on the environment in the long term.” This initiative aims to allow the chain to better cater to the immediate needs of its diverse customer base while simultaneously upholding its responsibility towards environmental preservation.

Don Don Donki has been mindful of the environmental implications of single-use plastics for some time. Prior to the complete cessation of plastic bag sales, the retailer had already implemented a charging system. Initially, customers were charged 10 cents per plastic bag until July 2023, after which the fee was reduced to five cents per bag.

The complete halt in sales in October 2024 was a significant step towards reducing plastic waste. However, this move appears to have inadvertently created inconvenience for a segment of their clientele, particularly those making spontaneous purchases.

In their official announcement, which included a post on their Facebook page, Don Don Donki reiterated their ongoing commitment to environmental consciousness. “We continue to encourage all customers to bring their own reusable bags whenever possible,” the statement read.

This suggests that while the option for plastic bags is being reinstated, the company hopes that customers will still prioritize sustainable practices by using their own shopping bags.

The decision to bring back plastic bags has elicited a range of reactions from Don Don Donki’s patrons. Online discussions and social media comments reflect a spectrum of opinions, with some welcoming the change and others expressing reservations.

One Facebook user, Pang Kia Nian, voiced strong support for the reintroduction. He explicitly stated that he had reduced the frequency of his shopping trips to Don Don Donki after the discontinuation of shopping bags in 2024.

He explained that many of his visits were unplanned, and the lack of readily available bags made it difficult to carry his purchases home, leading him to leave without buying anything. For customers like Mr. Pang, the availability of even paid biodegradable bags offers a practical solution to an everyday inconvenience.

Conversely, some netizens remain skeptical about the true environmental benefits of biodegradable plastic bags. Timothy Kao, another Facebook user, raised a pertinent question regarding the overall carbon footprint.

He wondered whether the environmental impact of producing and potentially disposing of a biodegradable bag, especially one with printing, would genuinely be lower than that of a conventional, unprinted plastic bag. This highlights a broader concern about the lifecycle analysis of supposedly eco-friendly alternatives and whether they truly deliver significant environmental advantages.

Adding another perspective to the discussion, Facebook user Daniel Sng suggested an alternative approach. He proposed that Don Don Donki could consider providing free plastic bags while simultaneously incentivizing the use of reusable bags by offering a small discount to customers who bring their own. This model aims to cater to both convenience and environmental responsibility through a system of rewards rather than restrictions.

The reintroduction of plastic bags by Don Don Donki underscores the complex interplay between business operations, customer convenience, and environmental sustainability. While the move addresses the immediate needs of some shoppers, it also reignites the ongoing debate about the most effective strategies for reducing plastic waste and promoting environmentally conscious consumer behavior.

The success of this new initiative will likely depend on a combination of factors, including customer acceptance of the five-cent charge, the actual biodegradability and environmental impact of the new bags, and the continued efforts by Don Don Donki to encourage the use of reusable alternatives.

As Don Don Donki navigates this evolving landscape, the reactions and choices of its customers will undoubtedly play a crucial role in shaping the future of its sustainability initiatives.

The decision to bring back plastic bags serves as a reminder that finding a balance between environmental goals and the practical needs of consumers remains a significant challenge for businesses worldwide.

Table: don don donki plastic bags Policy Timeline

Date	Policy	Fee (SGD)	Notes
Before July 2023	Plastic bags available upon request	0.10
July 2023	Fee for plastic bags implemented	0.05
October 1, 2024	Sale of all plastic bags halted	N/A	Aimed at reducing plastic waste
May 19, 2025	Biodegradable and eco-friendly plastic bags reintroduced for sale	0.05	Designed to break down naturally; encourages reusable bags

FAQs:

Why did Don Don Donki stop selling plastic bags previously?

Don Don Donki stopped selling plastic bags on October 1, 2024, as part of an initiative to reduce plastic waste and encourage more environmentally sustainable shopping habits among its customers.

Why is Don Don Donki bringing back plastic bags now?

The reintroduction of plastic bags comes in response to feedback from customers who found it inconvenient to shop without readily available bags, especially for unplanned purchases. Don Don Donki aims to balance customer needs with its environmental responsibility by offering biodegradable alternatives.

How much do the new plastic bags at Don Don Donki cost?

The new biodegradable and eco-friendly plastic bags at Don Don Donki cost five cents (SGD 0.05) each.

Are the new plastic bags environmentally friendly?

Yes, the new plastic bags are described by Don Don Donki as biodegradable and eco-friendly. They are “specially designed to break down naturally over time and reduce negative impacts on the environment in the long term.” However, the company still encourages customers to bring their own reusable bags whenever possible for maximum environmental benefit.