A coalition of major retailers and local stores has launched a campaign across more than 1,000 Southern California locations this week to help customers kick the habit of using disposable shopping bags.
The effort, titled “Break Up With Single-Use Bags,” marks the largest statewide campaign of its kind, ahead of a new law that will prohibit plastic checkout bags in California beginning in 2026.
The year-long initiative is led by the Center for the Circular Economy at Closed Loop Partners and backed by major retailers including Target, CVS Health and The Kroger Co., through its Ralphs and Food 4 Less brands, along with Dollar Tree and hundreds of smaller retailers.
Rather than relying purely on policy, the campaign aims to influence behavior in real time through physical and digital reminders. Stores will deploy standardized signage in parking lots, store entrances and checkout lanes, along with verbal prompts from cashiers asking customers if they need a bag. Coordinated messaging will also appear on social media, television and audio streaming platforms to reinforce habits beyond the store environment. The free campaign materials are available to any store that wants to join, regardless of size.
“This campaign reflects a growing movement of retailers and communities working together, guided by data and a shared vision, to shift the retail experience toward one that eliminates waste altogether by reducing our reliance on disposable bags,” Kate Daly, managing partner at Closed Loop Partners and head of the Center for the Circular Economy, said in a statement.
The campaign comes in anticipation of new regulations that take effect Jan. 1, 2026, banning both single-use and thicker plastic bags at checkout. Under SB 1053, stores will be permitted to offer only paper bags at a mandated fee, replacing the 2014 restrictions that allowed for thicker plastic bags providing they were considered reusable.
Organizers say this moment offers an opportunity to reshape consumer habits before the policy shift, drawing on lessons from past pilot programs. In 2023, the Consortium to Reinvent the Retail Bag ran bring-your-own-bag campaigns in Denver and Tucson. Those tests led to a combined annual reduction of approximately 9.5 million bags and contributed to the design of this California rollout. A separate initiative in Petaluma, California, tested reusable cups and similarly highlighted the power of repeated in-store prompts to drive behavior change.
For the current campaign, CVS Health also emphasized the link between environmental and community well-being. “This latest initiative aims to collaboratively address waste in our neighborhoods, stores and everyday decisions, creating a positive impact for individuals and the planet,” said Jenny McColloch, CVS Health vice president of sustainability and community impact.
The Center for the Circular Economy will continue monitoring customer responses and behavior patterns over the next year, with the aim of producing new data and case studies that can guide future campaigns and potentially influence national standards.
