Plastic carryout bags are no longer available at grocery checkouts in many parts of the country. Twelve states have statewide bans, and the rules vary from one state to another. Taking your own bags should now be part of your grocery trips.

California's current ban took effect on January 1, 2026, and includes the thicker plastic bags that stores once sold as reusable. Recycled paper bags are still available for purchase.

California state law sets a minimum price of ten cents for paper bags at every grocery store. Rules may differ elsewhere, so check the current requirements where you shop.

A basic tote will handle most groceries and a reusable mesh bag is useful for loose produce. An insulated bag keeps cold groceries cold on the way home. Having a variety of these bags ensures all groceries can be packed correctly.

Keep an everyday tote ready

The everyday tote is the bag used for most groceries. Safeway's Everyday Shopping Bag and Black Shopping Bag are general shopping bags. The Earthwise Farmers Market Reuse Bag is a market tote.

The Kings RPET Shopping Bag is another general shopping option. RPET means it is made from recycled plastic bottles.

Where you keep your bags matters. Totes in the car are convenient between trips, but they are easy to forget in the trunk, so it is better to put them somewhere you will notice before leaving the car.

Use mesh bags for loose produce

A reusable mesh produce bag holds loose items before you reach the checkout. It can take the place of a bag pulled from a roll in the produce or bulk section.

California changed the rules for these bags on January 1, 2025, a year before its checkout-bag ban took effect. Since then, stores in the state have only been able to provide compostable or recycled-paper bags before checkout. This rule covers bags for loose produce, meat and fish, nuts, grains, candy, and bakery goods, making a mesh bag useful for apples, onions, or other loose produce. It is separate from the tote that carries your groceries home.

Bring an insulated bag for cold groceries

An insulated bag keeps groceries cold for the trip home. Use it for meat and frozen food that require cold temperatures, rather than treating every reusable bag as interchangeable.

Safeway options include the Kodiak Insulated Bag and Kodiak Summer Lemons Thermal Bag. Bring the insulated bag into the store with your other bags so it is ready when your groceries are packed.

Carryout bags are different from bags used to store food at home. For help choosing those, read the difference between storage bags, freezer bags and sandwich bags.

Wash reusable bags regularly

Wash reusable grocery bags at least weekly. Some guidance recommends washing them after every shopping trip. Canvas and cloth bags go in the washing machine, while reusable plastic bags should be washed by hand in hot, soapy water.

A 2011 study collected reusable carryout bags from shoppers in California and Arizona. Researchers found bacteria in almost all the bags, coliform bacteria in half, and E. coli in 12%. Washing reduced the bacteria by more than 99.9%.

While the study found bacteria on bags, it did not find that anyone got sick from them. Only 3% of the shoppers questioned said they washed their bags regularly.

The researchers also added meat juices to bags and left them in car trunks for two hours. The amount of bacteria increased tenfold. The trunk is where most used bags are kept, so wash bags that carried meat rather than leaving them in the car.

Common questions about reusable grocery bags

Can you wash reusable grocery bags in the washing machine?

You can machine-wash canvas and cloth grocery bags. Clean reusable plastic bags by hand with hot, soapy water.

How often should you wash reusable grocery bags?

Wash them at least once a week. Some guidance recommends cleaning reusable bags after each grocery trip.

What material are reusable grocery bags made from?

Reusable bags come in different materials. RPET is one example, and it means the bag is made from recycled plastic bottles. Other materials include canvas, cloth, and reusable plastic bags, while insulated and thermal bags are made from insulating foam and reflective lining.

What is the best way to store reusable grocery bags in the car?

Keep clean bags where you will see them before entering the store. A 2011 study found that bacteria increased tenfold when researchers put meat juices in reusable bags and left them in car trunks for two hours. Wash a used bag before returning it to the car.

Can reusable grocery bags be recycled?

Many stores have collection bins near the front for bags, but the bags they accept can vary. Check with your local store before bringing bags for recycling.