On June 1, 2008, China banned supermarkets, shops and open markets from supplying free plastic bags to customers in a drive to protect environment and cut waste. According to the industrial and commercial administration of Changsha, the usage of plastic shopping bags in large and medium-sized supermarkets has been reduced by 80 percent in the past year.

　　On Saturday morning, a reporter watched 50 customers and found only four young people buy plastic bags in a Wal-Mart in southern Changsha. The related principal of Wal-Mart said that about 5000 plastic bags were sold every day, and this number reached over 25,000 when free plastic bags were supplied one year ago. A cashier in RT-Mart told the reporter that most citizens would bring reusable bags to the market after the ban. This happened in other supermarkets such as Better Life, Carrefour, etc.

　　However, in commune groceries and open markets like the vegetable and fruit markets, the plastic bags are still given for free in huge amounts. An owner of a fruit stand explained, "The quality of plastic bags we use is definitely poor, but it is impossible for me not to use them. Almost all sellers here offer free plastic bags, if I don't follow suit, no customer will come to me."

　　According to Changsha Industrial and Commercial Bureau, the plastic bag ban is implemented relatively well in supermarkets and shopping malls. But in open markets, it is difficult to manage for the large number of stands and the mobility of vendors. The implementation of the plastic bag ban must start from the manufacturers.