A majority of people support the government's ban on single-use plastic bags at department and convenience stores, saying it is a way of reducing garbage and combating global warming, according to an opinion survey by the National Institute for Development Administration, or Nida Poll.
The poll was conducted on 1,262 people aged 15 and over of various levels of education and occupation throughout the country to compile their opinions on the ban which takes effect from Jan 1.
A majority -- 57.69% -- of the respondents said they strongly support the ban as it is a way of reducing the quantity of garbage in the country and tackling global warming in line with the government's policy; 23.21% said they somewhat support it but suggested that the ban should be imposed gradually as plastic bags are still needed for use with some merchandise; 9.75% slightly disagreed with the ban, saying it comes too soon for the people to adjust themselves to it; 8.72% said they are totally against it, saying it puts a burden on customers; and 0.63% had no comment or were not interested.
Asked how they have dealt with the ban, 79.32% said they bring their own bags or other containers; 18.38% said they simply carry the items away by hand; 11.25% said they go shopping less frequently; 4.83% said they buy plastic bags or other containers from the stores to carry their purchases; 2.77% said they use cloth or other kinds of bags which can be borrowed from the stores; 1.82% said they use second-hand plastic bags handed out by the stores; 0.71% said they shop at other stores where bags are provided; and 0.16% had no comment or were not interested.
Asked to comment on a sugestion that department and convenience stores provide customers with other kinds of containers to replace single-use plastic bags, 64.58% said they strongly agree that stores should do this when customers forget to bring their own bags; 22.11% said they strongly agree with it but the stores should not sell them but rather provide them to customers free of charge; 8.24% strongly disagree with it, saying that people should be aware that they must bring their own bags; 4.44% were in moderate disagreement, saying the government had told them in advance to bring their own bags; and 0.63% had no comment or were not interested.