The checkout question in California is no longer “paper or plastic?” Since January 1, 2026, covered stores may not provide, distribute or sell plastic carryout bags at the point of sale. A retailer that offers a store-supplied checkout bag generally has to use a qualifying recycled paper carryout bag and charge at least ten cents, with limited statutory exclusions. For packaging teams, the 2026 plastic bag ban California rules create more than a material swap: bag construction, legal print lines, sourcing records, checkout systems and quality testing all need attention. Packaging NextGen explains those production decisions below while keeping the legal answer clear.
California SB 1053 took effect on January 1, 2026. It removed the former path that allowed covered stores to offer thicker plastic-film bags as reusable checkout bags. Grocery stores, certain large retailers with pharmacies, convenience stores, food marts and liquor stores covered by the law may offer qualifying recycled paper bags for at least $0.10. Customers may bring their own bags.
This article is general packaging information, not legal advice. Retailers and suppliers should confirm the current state statute, local ordinances and their own counsel’s guidance before ordering or distributing bags.
What Changed Under the 2026 Plastic Bag Ban California Law?
California previously banned thin single-use plastic checkout bags while permitting thicker plastic-film bags that met the former reusable-bag standards. Lawmakers concluded that many of those heavier bags were not being reused or recycled as intended. SB 1053 closed that route by changing the carryout-bag rules from January 1, 2026.
Under the current law, a covered store cannot provide, distribute or sell a carryout bag at the point of sale unless a stated exception applies. The main store-supplied option is a recycled paper carryout bag sold for at least ten cents. The definition of point of sale is broad and includes:
- Checkout counters
- Self-checkout kiosks
- In-store pickup
- Curbside delivery
- Home delivery
The rule therefore affects front-end retail supplies as well as bags used to complete online grocery and delivery orders. A bag is not outside the rule merely because an employee packed it away from a cash register.
Which California Stores Are Covered?
SB 1053 applies to the store categories defined in California’s Public Resources Code. The main groups include:
- Full-line, self-service retailers with annual gross sales of at least $2 million that sell groceries and some perishable items
- Retail stores of at least 10,000 square feet that generate sales or use tax and have a licensed pharmacy
- Convenience stores, food marts and similar sellers covered by the stated off-sale alcohol-license categories
- Other retail establishments that previously made an irrevocable election to comply under the statute
The law does not automatically place every California business into one identical category. Restaurants, boutiques, dry cleaners and other sellers may face separate city or county bag ordinances even when the statewide store definition does not cover them. A chain should map each location by store type and jurisdiction rather than using one assumption across the state.
Bags Allowed and Restricted at a Glance
| Bag or situation | Statewide position for covered stores in 2026 | Packaging note |
| Plastic-film checkout bag | Not allowed as a carryout bag at point of sale | Thickness or an old reusable claim does not preserve the former checkout route |
| Qualifying recycled paper carryout bag | May be offered for at least $0.10 | Must meet recycling-acceptance and printing rules |
| Customer-owned reusable bag | Customer may bring and use it | Store sanitation and handling policies still need clear procedures |
| Prescription bag from a pharmacy | Excluded in the circumstances stated by law | Keep its use limited to the prescription purpose |
| Nonhandled protective bag | Excluded when used as specified to prevent damage or contamination | It is not a substitute for a general checkout carryout bag |
| Pre-checkout produce or bulk-food bag | Covered by separate pre-checkout requirements | Material options differ from checkout carryout bags |
| Nonhandled garment bag | Excluded for clothing on a hanger, such as dry-cleaning use | Local ordinances may still matter |
Packaging NextGen recommends keeping checkout bags, protective bags, prescription bags, garment bags and pre-checkout bags as separate stock-keeping units. Similar-looking inventory can lead employees to use the wrong bag at the wrong stage.
California Paper Bag Requirements for 2026
A paper carryout bag is not compliant merely because it is brown, kraft-colored or marketed as recyclable. Current CalRecycle guidance states that a qualifying paper carryout bag must:
- Be accepted for recycling in curbside programs available to a majority of California households that have access to curbside recycling.
- Have the manufacturer’s name printed on the bag.
- Have the country where the bag was manufactured printed on the bag.
- Have the percentage of postconsumer recycled content printed on the bag.
The store may make the bag available for purchase at no less than $0.10. When a customer uses the payment card or voucher specified for California WIC benefits or an electronic benefit transfer card covered by the statute, a store offering recycled paper bags must provide one at no cost at the point of sale.
Retailers should also check local requirements. A city or county may set a higher bag charge, add receipt instructions, cover more store types or impose material specifications beyond the statewide baseline.
The Recycled-Content Detail Many 2026 Guides Get Wrong
This is the most important technical correction in the SERP. The pre-2026 SB 270 definition generally required at least 40% postconsumer recycled material, with a 20% threshold for certain smaller bags. Those provisions remained in effect only through December 31, 2025.
The new SB 1053 definition says qualifying paper bags must meet the curbside-acceptance and printed-disclosure conditions. It then sets a statewide minimum of 50% postconsumer recycled material beginning January 1, 2028. The current CalRecycle bag-requirements page presents the same 2028 start date and does not list the old 40% minimum as the statewide 2026 threshold.
Some supplier and legal blogs continue to state that 40% is mandatory statewide throughout 2026 and 2027. Retail buyers should not treat those pages as the statute. At the same time, a converter should not assume that any low-PCR paper bag is acceptable. Local law, retailer policy, bid specifications or recycled-content claims may set a higher standard. Obtain the supplier’s written PCR percentage and confirm the rule that applies at every store location.
Future-proofing orders at 50% PCR can reduce another material change before 2028, but only when the selected stock passes strength, print and supply tests.
Required Printing on California Paper Carryout Bags
The legal print requirement is short but important. Every qualifying recycled paper carryout bag must show:
- Manufacturer name
- Country of manufacture
- Percentage of postconsumer recycled content
The statute and CalRecycle guidance identify the information, while the converter’s production file determines how it is reproduced. The compliance line should remain readable after forming, folding, filling and carrying. Avoid placing it inside the bottom fold, under a handle patch, across a gusset crease or so close to a glue seam that part of the text disappears.
A retailer logo, campaign message or “bring your bag next time” prompt may also be printed, subject to applicable law and brand approval. Required information should not be hidden by artwork, ink coverage, labels or a later overprint.
Planning the Paper Bag Print File
Paper carryout bags are three-dimensional objects made from printed and converted sheets or rolls. Artwork should begin with the converter’s current bag template, not a guessed rectangle. The file needs to show the front, back, side gussets, bottom fold, glue zone, handle area and printer marks.
The same concepts explained in what a dieline is apply to bag artwork: technical lines stay separate from printable graphics, important text remains within safe areas and bleed extends where the process requires it.
A useful prepress checklist includes:
- Final bag width, height and gusset depth
- Front and back live areas
- Side-gusset distortion zones
- Bottom-fold and glue exclusions
- Handle and reinforcement-patch position
- Required manufacturer, origin and PCR statement
- Spot-color or process-color definitions
- Ink coverage limits for the selected paper
- Barcode or QR-code test area, when used
- Correct overprint and trapping settings
- Printer marks and plate orientation
- Approved artwork version and date
Packaging NextGen would keep the state-required disclosure on its own clearly named layer. This reduces the chance that a designer removes it while updating a seasonal campaign.
Selecting Paper for Compliant Retail Bags
The law defines legal conditions, not the full performance specification. A retailer still has to choose a paper that carries the expected load, runs through bag-making equipment and reproduces the artwork at the required quality.
Important paper variables include:
- Fiber mix: PCR percentage, fiber length and supplier consistency affect strength and appearance.
- Basis weight: Heavier paper can add strength but also raises material use, case weight and cost.
- Machine direction: Fiber direction influences tear behavior, folding and handle performance.
- Surface: Smooth stock can hold fine graphics more cleanly, while a rough kraft surface may need bolder type and lower-detail artwork.
- Moisture response: Refrigerated groceries, produce and rainy weather can weaken untreated paper.
- Porosity: Absorbent stock can increase dot gain and change color appearance.
- Shade variation: Recycled kraft papers may vary across batches, affecting brand colors and proof approval.
Paper bags and folding cartons are different products, but the material principles overlap. The guide to paperboard grades for packaging explains how recycled fiber, coating, stiffness and print surfaces change packaging results.
Bag Size, Gussets and Handle Design
A single bag size rarely serves every basket. A small pharmacy purchase, a meal kit and a load of glass bottles create different structural demands. Define the expected product mix before requesting quotes.
Bag dimensions
State dimensions in a fixed order: width × gusset × height. Confirm whether the height includes the handle. A 1/4-inch misunderstanding can change case packing or interfere with automated dispensers.
Gusset depth
Side gussets increase capacity and allow the bag to open into a broader shape. Deep gussets also place more artwork on folds, so keep fine text away from these areas.
Bottom construction
A square or rectangular bottom supports grocery packing and standing stability. Review bottom adhesive coverage, fold accuracy and the heaviest likely product combination.
Handle choices
Twisted paper handles, flat paper handles and handleless bags each create a different cost and carrying experience. Statewide guidance does not make handles the single test of paper-bag compliance. Retailers should study customer mobility, walking distance, basket weight, dispenser space and local rules before choosing.
Reinforcement
Handle patches and folded top edges can improve load distribution. Added parts should use materials and adhesives compatible with the retailer’s recycling claim and the target recovery system.
Printing Methods, Inks and Coatings
Flexographic printing is often used for high-volume paper shopping bags because it works efficiently with roll-fed paper and bag-converting lines. Digital printing may fit shorter runs, store tests or campaigns that need more artwork versions. The converter should confirm the available colors, screening, line resolution, repeat length and finishing route.
Water-based inks are common in paper-bag work, but “water-based” alone does not prove recyclability or legal compliance. Ask the supplier about ink coverage, deinking behavior, rub resistance and any coating or additive used on the finished bag.
Large solid colors can show paper texture and consume more ink. Fine reversed type may close up on absorbent recycled kraft. A physical press proof or production drawdown on the chosen paper is more useful than a bright screen mockup.
Key print tests include:
- Color compared with the signed paper-bag standard
- Legibility of the manufacturer, origin and PCR line
- Rub resistance when bags are nested and dispensed
- Ink transfer to hands or adjacent bags
- Registration across panels and gussets
- Barcode or QR-code scanning after the bag is opened
- Appearance after light moisture exposure
- Odor review for food-retail environments
Do Not Make Unsupported Recycling Claims
California’s recent enforcement record makes environmental wording a production issue as well as a marketing issue. In January 2026, the California Attorney General announced settlements totaling $3.35 million with three plastic-bag producers over allegations tied to recyclability claims and the former law. Combined with earlier settlements, the announced total exceeded $5.1 million.
The lesson for paper-bag printing is simple: do not add a recycling symbol, “recyclable everywhere,” compostable statement or recycled-content percentage without support. The percentage printed on the bag should match supplier documentation for the exact production lot and structure. A coating, film window, handle patch or adhesive can also affect how a recovery system treats the bag.
Packaging NextGen would require written claim approval before the artwork is released. Marketing language, legal review and supplier data should point to the same material specification.
Pre-Checkout Bags Follow Separate Rules
Checkout carryout bags and pre-checkout bags are not the same category. California’s SB 1046 requirements for covered stores took effect January 1, 2025. CalRecycle says stores may provide pre-checkout bags made from recycled paper or compostable bags that meet the statutory conditions.
A pre-checkout bag is provided before checkout to contain loose produce, meat, fish, nuts, grains, candy, bakery goods or another unwrapped item, or to protect goods from damage or contamination. It does not include a bag used to prepackage items before they arrive at the store.
Material teams should therefore create two separate compliance briefs:
- Carryout bag brief: Paper checkout bag under the 2026 SB 1053 requirements.
- Pre-checkout bag brief: Produce, bulk-food or protective application under SB 1046 and any applicable compostability rules.
Very few California compost facilities accept compostable plastic film, according to current CalRecycle guidance. A compostable label should not be treated as proof that a customer can place the bag in every local organics bin.
Secondary Packaging and Distribution Planning
Retail bags arrive nested in corrugated cases. A material change from plastic film to paper can alter case dimensions, weight, pallet count, warehouse humidity needs and dispenser setup.
Packaging buyers should verify:
- Bags per bundle and bundles per case
- Case internal and external dimensions
- Gross case weight
- Bag orientation and dispensing order
- Pallet pattern and maximum stacking height
- Moisture protection during transport and storage
- Lot code and supplier identification on the case
- Mixed-SKU controls for different bag sizes
Use the guide on how to measure a box when checking the corrugated shipping case. Internal measurements control bag fit; packed external measurements control warehouse and pallet space.
Brands reviewing a wider move toward fiber-based materials can also compare bag changes with processed molded pulp packaging for trays, inserts and protective components. These formats solve different packaging jobs, but both require material and recovery claims to match real infrastructure.
Supplier Documents Retailers Should Request
A supplier quote should include more than price and bag color. Ask for:
- Manufacturer’s legal name
- Manufacturing country
- Declared postconsumer recycled-content percentage
- Fiber and paper specification
- Evidence supporting curbside-recycling acceptance
- Bag dimensions and tolerances
- Paper basis weight
- Handle material and attachment method
- Adhesive, ink and coating information
- Load-test method and results
- Moisture and rub-test information
- Artwork template and safe zones
- Production lead time and minimum order
- Case pack, pallet details and storage limits
- Lot traceability and change-notification process
The purchase order should prohibit unapproved changes to the paper mill, PCR percentage, handle, adhesive, ink, dimensions or manufacturing country. Any one of those changes may alter the required print line or the approved pack performance.
Quality Testing Before a Statewide Rollout
A paper bag can meet a legal description and still fail in use. Build a test plan around the products, weather, store layout and fulfillment channel.
Dimensional checks
Measure width, gusset, height, handle drop, bottom size and folded bundle thickness. Sample more than one case and production lot.
Carry and handle checks
Pack realistic combinations such as cans, glass bottles, boxed food and chilled items. Test lift, walking distance, handle attachment and bottom seams. Record the test weight and conditioning time rather than writing only “passed.”
Moisture checks
Condition bags in the humidity and temperature expected in storage and use. Test light rain contact, refrigerator condensation and damp products where relevant.
Print checks
Review required text, color, rub, setoff, registration and scan performance. Open the gussets and bottom so hidden or distorted graphics become visible.
Store trials
Run the bag through dispensers, cashier stations, self-checkout, pickup tables and delivery packing. Ask staff whether nesting, opening and filling slow the transaction.
The paper-packaging transition also affects suppliers and converters across the market. The site’s Graphic Packaging International overview provides added context on paper-based packaging production and the broader converting sector.
Retail Operations Checklist
The 2026 plastic bag ban California transition should connect procurement with store operations. Use this checklist:
- Map covered stores and local ordinances.
- Remove plastic-film carryout bags from checkout, self-checkout, pickup and delivery stock.
- Separate carryout, pre-checkout, prescription, protective and garment-bag inventory.
- Approve a qualifying paper bag and supplier documentation.
- Confirm the manufacturer, manufacturing country and PCR percentage printed on every bag.
- Set the paper-bag price at no less than $0.10 unless a stricter local rule applies.
- Configure the required no-charge treatment for covered WIC and EBT transactions.
- Check whether local rules require a higher charge or receipt line.
- Train staff on customer-owned bags and excluded bag uses.
- Inspect incoming cases and keep lot records.
- Review claims before approving print.
- Prepare the 50% PCR material step required from January 1, 2028.
Common Packaging Mistakes to Avoid
Reordering an Old Plastic “Reusable” Bag
The old thickness and reuse standards do not keep plastic-film checkout bags legal for covered stores after January 1, 2026.
Copying the Old 40% Rule Into New Artwork
The former statewide threshold was tied to provisions repealed at the end of 2025. Use the actual material percentage, current law and applicable local rule.
Hiding Required Information in a Fold
The manufacturer, manufacturing country and PCR percentage should remain readable after conversion and use.
Treating Pickup and Delivery as Exempt
The point-of-sale definition includes in-store pickup, curbside delivery and home delivery.
Using One Specification for Every Bag Size
Small, medium and bottle bags experience different loads. Paper weight, handles and bottom construction should match the use.
Approving Artwork Without a Production Sample
Recycled paper shade, porosity and folds can change the final appearance. Review a converted bag, not only a flat PDF.
Making a Broad Environmental Claim
Recycled content, curbside acceptance and compostability are separate claims. Each needs its own support.
FAQs
When did California’s expanded plastic bag ban take effect?
SB 1053 became operative on January 1, 2026. It ended the former route that allowed covered stores to offer qualifying thick plastic-film carryout bags at checkout.
Are all plastic bags banned in California in 2026?
No. The statewide rule focuses on carryout bags provided by covered stores at the point of sale. Prescription bags, certain nonhandled protective and garment bags, and regulated pre-checkout bags have separate treatment. Local ordinances may cover additional bags or businesses.
Can California grocery stores provide paper bags?
Covered stores may offer qualifying recycled paper carryout bags for at least $0.10. The bag must meet statewide recycling-acceptance and printed-information conditions.
What must be printed on a California paper carryout bag?
The bag must display the manufacturer’s name, the country where it was manufactured and the percentage of postconsumer recycled content.
Is 40% postconsumer recycled content required in 2026?
The current SB 1053 definition sets a 50% statewide minimum beginning January 1, 2028. CalRecycle’s current page does not list the former 40% threshold as the statewide 2026 rule. Local ordinances and buyer specifications may require more, so confirm the applicable requirement.
How much must stores charge for a paper bag?
The statewide minimum is $0.10 for a qualifying recycled paper carryout bag. Some local jurisdictions may require a higher amount or additional checkout procedures.
Does the rule apply to curbside pickup and home delivery?
Yes. California defines point of sale to include checkout counters, self-checkout, in-store pickup, curbside delivery and home delivery.
Can shoppers bring their own reusable bags?
Yes. The law aims to encourage customers to bring reusable bags. Store procedures should explain how employee-packed orders and self-checkout handle customer-owned bags.
Are paper-bag handles required?
Statewide paper-bag guidance focuses on the qualifying paper, recycling acceptance, required print information and charge. Handleless and handled designs should be evaluated against customer needs and any local requirements.
Who enforces the California bag requirements?
CalRecycle provides guidance but states that cities, counties and the California Attorney General have enforcement authority. Retailers should consult counsel on compliance and local enforcement.
Prepare the Bag, Print File and Store System Together
The 2026 plastic bag ban California rules change what covered stores may provide, but successful implementation depends on the full packaging system. A qualifying paper bag still needs the right dimensions, strength, handle, adhesive, artwork and case pack. Its required manufacturer, origin and PCR information must remain readable, and the retailer’s checkout settings must apply the correct charge and benefit-program treatment.
Packaging NextGen sees the best opportunity in treating compliance, printing and performance as one approval process. Confirm the law and local ordinance, obtain supplier evidence, test finished bags with real products and lock the approved material and artwork before scaling the order across California locations.