MUSCAT: Shoppers in Muscat were surprised on Wednesday to learn that certain supermarkets had stopped providing plastic bags for the products they had bought.
Sujata, an Indian expatriate living on Rex Road, stated, "When I paid for the products, I had to buy a green bag for 125 baisas at a supermarket in Ruwi as I had no other choice but to carry the items to my car without the bag. "
This follows Oman implementing the third phase of its plastic bag prohibition on Tuesday, July 1, in accordance with the planned timetable established in Decision No. (8/2024). According to officials, anybody who violates the rules may be fined between OMR50 and OMR1,000.
According to the Environmental Authority (EA), the activities in this phase include the sale of vegetables, fruits, groceries, foodstuffs, sweets, gifts, and bakery items.
Regarding alternatives, the Environmental Authority recommended fabric bags and paper bags.
The EA issued a statement emphasizing the long-term hazards of single-use plastic bags on marine life and the wider environment. “A single plastic bag may appear innocuous, but it has a lasting influence on marine life and our environment! ” Your straightforward decision to use sustainable alternatives makes a significant difference,” it added.
The EA explained the effects of plastic pollution on marine ecosystems. "Fish, turtles, and whales may confuse plastic bags for food and consume them, causing suffocation or obstructions in their digestive systems, potentially leading to death. Then marine animals like turtles or birds may become tangled in plastic bags, suffocating or sustaining severe injuries,” according to the statement.
Sujit Kumar went to the supermarket to get essentials because he was expecting visitors at his house for lunch on Wednesday. “I went to the supermarket to get some juices and food packets, but the individual at the billing counter reminded me of the plastic bags directive from July 1. ”
Similarly, Sohail, a Pakistani expatriate, had visited a nearby Qurum grocery store to purchase his daily necessities. Unaware of the prohibition, he bought his regular groceries, but he had no bags to transport the things. As a result, he had to buy a reusable bag.
"From now on, I'll keep these bags in my car and utilize them whenever I go shopping," Sohail said.
Phase one of the plastic prohibition took effect on July 1, 2024, and restricted single-use plastic bags thinner than 50 micrometres.
The second phase, which began on January 1, 2025, included textile stores, tailoring shops, mobile shops, watch shops, and merchants. The third phase was launched on July 1, 2025.
