{"id":220589,"date":"2026-05-05T12:52:17","date_gmt":"2026-05-05T12:52:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/220589\/"},"modified":"2026-05-05T12:52:17","modified_gmt":"2026-05-05T12:52:17","slug":"walmart-shelves-will-look-very-different-under-a-new-bill-targeting-everyday-items","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/220589\/","title":{"rendered":"Walmart shelves will look very different under a new bill targeting everyday items"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>WALMART is on a long list of retailers preparing to restock shelves of certain everyday essentials due to new legislation cracking down on plastic use.<\/p>\n<p>Products such as toilet paper and diapers in its current plastic packaging may be scrapped as a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.the-sun.com\/money\/16310637\/massachusetts-plastic-bag-ban-ten-cent-fee\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">new state recycling bill<\/a> which proposes an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.the-sun.com\/money\/16202618\/plastic-bag-ban-massachusetts-paper-bag-fee\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">end to the use of plastic<\/a> wrap.<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSign up for the Money newsletter\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\tThank you!\n\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p>The proposed\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nysenate.gov\/legislation\/bills\/2025\/S1464\/amendment\/A\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" data-nyp-affiliate=\"true\">Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act<\/a>\u00a0in New York would legally mandate companies to reduce and phase out toxic or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.the-sun.com\/money\/16307655\/texas-roadhouse-utensils-sauces-ban-request\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">non-reusable packaging<\/a>, as reported by the <a aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2026\/05\/03\/us-news\/sweeping-ny-bill-aims-to-nix-plastic-wrap-for-these-crucial-everyday-items\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">New York Post<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.the-sun.com\/topic\/law\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">rules<\/a> would impact companies with net income surpassing $5 million that sell or distribute certain materials and products, such as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.the-sun.com\/topic\/walmart\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Walmart<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.the-sun.com\/topic\/target\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Target<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.the-sun.com\/topic\/kroger\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Kroger<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>They would have to replace their current packaging with reusable and environmentally friendly alternatives.<\/p>\n<p>With <a href=\"https:\/\/www.the-sun.com\/where\/new-york\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">New Yorkers<\/a> producing almost five pounds of trash per person per day, the goal of the proposal is to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.the-sun.com\/news\/16283930\/dollar-tree-bag-ban-fee-checkout\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">minimize the state\u2019s waste contributions<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"article-readmore__text-anchor-wrap\" href=\"https:\/\/www.the-sun.com\/money\/16199674\/walmart-new-plastic-bag-ban-paper-fees-massachusetts\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" loading=\"eager\" decoding=\"async\" height=\"240\" width=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/NINTCHDBPICT000959647811.jpg\"\/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p class=\"article-readmore__text-kicker\">SHOP SHIFT<\/p>\n<p class=\"article-readmore__text-headline\">Walmart braces for new bag ban policy &#8211; and &#8216;paper&#8217; fees may be headed your way<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"article-readmore__text-anchor-wrap\" href=\"https:\/\/www.the-sun.com\/money\/16284395\/new-jersey-plastic-law-restaurants-single-use-utensils\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" height=\"240\" width=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/newspress-collage-jne1nnyiz-1777381419385.jpg\"\/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p class=\"article-readmore__text-kicker\">PLASTIC SCRAPPED<\/p>\n<p class=\"article-readmore__text-headline\">Olive Garden locations brace for bag ban policy under state&#8217;s August law<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Manufacturers in the Big Apple would have to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.the-sun.com\/news\/16288735\/costco-enforces-bag-ban-members-refused-entry\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">reduce their non-green packaging<\/a> by 10% in the next three years and 30% in 12 years.<\/p>\n<p>Additionally, 5% or more of their packaging would have to qualify as reusable or refillable by 2032, followed by a 10% and 20% mandate by 2040 and 2055, respectively.<\/p>\n<p>Manufacturers would also have to ensure that at least 25% of packaging is recyclable by 2032, followed by 50% by 2040 and 75% by 2055.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNew York State must follow suit to meet the moment for environmental accountability,\u201d said the memo justifying the legislation sponsored by state Assemblywoman Deborah Glick and state Senator Peter Harckham.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis legislation shifts the onus of recycling and waste hauling for packaging from municipalities and residents and ensures that producers of products are serving our interests by establishing solutions to sustainable packaging.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The proposed legislation would charge a fee to companies that break the rules, with the funds to go toward recycling programs in New York as well as infrastructure.<\/p>\n<p>Opponents of the bill, including the packaging industry and supermarkets, have argued that replacing plastic packaging with less protective paper packaging could result in soggy products.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cEven with its recent amendments it will eliminate the plastic film packaging that keeps essential products like toilet paper, paper towels, and diapers dry and sanitary,\u201d said Dan Felton, CEO of the Flexible Packaging Association, per the New York Post.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWithout it, retailers and consumers face increased product damage, higher replacement costs, and less reliable shelf availability.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe agree that we must improve recycling systems and reduce waste, but good public policy will also avoid higher costs and keep critical packaging in place to protect public health.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Critics also fear that the packaging rules will lead to higher shelf prices.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFor independent supermarkets serving New York City\u2019s working-class and minority communities, even modest shifts in packaging policy can quickly translate into higher costs for families,\u201d said Nelson Eusebio, the National Supermarkets Association\u2019s director of government affairs.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhen changes move forward without scalable, commercially viable alternatives, those costs ripple through the supply chain and affect prices at the register.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>A bill similar to the Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act passed the New York Senate in 2025 but failed to pass the Assembly because of strong opposition from plastics manufacturers.<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, other states have similar anti-plastic packaging programs in place, such as Maryland, Maine, Oregon, Colorado, California, and Minnesota.<\/p>\n<p>\n\t\t\t\tStory idea?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p>If you have an exclusive idea or story tip for The U.S. Sun, feel free to reach out to me at maya.lanzone@the-sun.com!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"WALMART is on a long list of retailers preparing to restock shelves of certain everyday essentials due to&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":220590,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[86860,2710,86861,9,24,55,54,56,14599],"class_list":["post-220589","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-new-york-city","tag-climate-change-and-environment","tag-law","tag-money-us","tag-new-york","tag-new-york-city","tag-new-york-city-headlines","tag-new-york-city-news","tag-ny","tag-walmart"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/220589","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=220589"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/220589\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/220590"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=220589"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=220589"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=220589"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}