Photo for illustrative purposes only. EXPAT MEDIA

Major stores and shopping outlets in Abu Dhabi are ready to implement a ban on the use of plastic bags starting June 1, top executives said. This came at a recent singing of a voluntary declaration by senior executives from major retail outlets in Abu Dhabi on their commitment to the Abu Dhabi Single-Use Plastic Policy. The brands included Abu Dhabi Co-operative Society, Carrefour, Lulu Hypermarket, Choithrams, Spinneys and Waitrose. The signatories expressed their commitment in not only implementing the policy, but also in collecting fees on reusable bags in a bid to reduce their consumption. According to the latest announcement by authorities, single-use plastic bags will be banned in Abu Dhabi as of June 1, 2022. In the UAE, 11 billion plastic bags are consumed annually, according to a report presented at the World Government Summit in February 2019. This is equivalent to 1,182 plastic bags per person annually. This is considered a very high rate compared to the global average of 307 bags per person annually. The signatories confirmed their commitment to implement the Abu Dhabi Government ban on single-use plastic bags, and to charge customers a fee for each reusable plastic grocery bag. ICA/Expat Media
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