Wegmans Is Banning Single-Use Plastic Bags in Pa.: Here's What to Know

Be sure to pack your own reusable bags for your next trip to Wegmans in the Philadelphia suburbs, or be prepared to pay a little extra.

The beloved supermarket chain announced Thursday that it would be removing all single-use plastic bags from its 18 Pennsylvania stores starting Sept. 22, 2022.

“Completing our transition out of single-use plastic bags across the company is a big celebration as we continue to expand our sustainability efforts and focus on doing what’s right for the environment,” Jason Wadsworth, Wegmans category merchant for packaging, energy and sustainability said in a company news release.

The company said its goal is to be single-use plastic bag free at all its stores by the end of the year.

Yes, paper grocery bags will still be available for a 5 cents a bag upcharge, so you may just want to bring your own reusable bag to save some money.

"Wegmans’ goal is to shift customers to reusable bags, the best option to solve the environmental challenge of single-use grocery bags," the company said.

The money collected for the paper bags, however, goes to a good cause -- local United Way chapters, Wegmans said.

However, the goal isn't to raise money, but to reduce waste.

"In stores where Wegmans has already eliminated plastic bags, on average, paper bags are used for 20-25% of transactions, while the remaining 75-80% use reusable bags, or no bag at all," the company said.

The move away from single-use bags is part of Wegmans' bigger mission to reduce "plastic packaging made from fossil fuels" and other single-use plastics by 10 million pounds by 2024.

Wegmans shoppers in the Garden State have already ditched the plastic. Earlier this year, New Jersey banned all single-use plastic bags at all grocery stores.