Grocers say they are not deaf to the public's concern about litter, and some have implemented recycling programs and many also sell reusable bags, made from canvas or recycled plastic.
Whole Foods plans to stop offering plastic bags by April 22 - Earth Day - following a trial run at two of its Austin, Texas stores, Lowery said. Shoppers will still be able to get recycled paper bags, bring their own, or buy reusable bags in the store for 99 cents.
But given the choice, many customers still go for the plastic, said Barry Scher, spokesman for Giant Food, owned by Amsterdam-based Royal Ahold NV. Giant is pushing customers to recycle bags using in-store bins.
"In the United States, we are a throwaway society, but we are going to try to change that thought process," he said.
Another option is plastic bags that are compostable, often made of starches that will break down over time. But their cost - around 10 cents to 15 cents each, means most grocers won't buy them. The San Francisco ban, for example, allows for the use of compostable bags, but most stores have just switched to paper, according to the California Grocers Association.
The plastics industry argues that the shift to paper is actually worse for the environment. To make paper bags, trees must be cut down. And it takes seven fuel-burning trucks to ship paper bags to retailers compared to just one for the same amount of plastic bags, according to the Plastics Division of the industry group American Chemistry Council.
"Plastic bags are a very good environmental choice," said Keith Christman, senior director of packaging for the group.
Yet paper bags can be made from recycled material, a more environmentally friendly process, Hershkowitz said. And simply recycling plastic bags that will be then used for other means, like decking, will not reduce the number produced each year, he said.
Some of the industry's largest plastic bag producers say they are taking steps to address consumer concerns about their products.
Hilex Poly Co., a South Carolina firm that sells about 30 billion bags annually, has set up a recycling facility to reprocess bags collected at grocers like some Kroger and A&P stores. The company is selling a bag that will degrade after being exposed to air and sun for several weeks, breaking down into carbon dioxide and water. And it is developing technology that measures how many items baggers put in bags to cut down on underfilling.
David Pastrich, the company's president, said the shift was largely driven by customer demand, the surge of anti-bag legislation, and the fact that plastic bags were becoming synonymous with litter for many people.
"If nobody wanted this, we wouldn't invest money in it," he said. "We want to be on the right side of the environmental threshold."
On a recent afternoon, shopper Fred Solowey came armed with several canvas bags to a Giant in Washington, but had to switch to paper and plastic at the checkout when the canvas totes filled up. Still, he prefers the reusable bags for environmental reasons.
"I won't miss the plastic bags if they stop using them," he said.
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Associated Press Writer Jacquelyn Martin contributed to this story. With files from The Canadian Press.
