Information for Shoppers

Bring Your Own Sac

​Sacramento County and Single-use Plastic Bag

Starting July 1, 2016, single use plastic bags will no longer be available​ in unincorporated Sacramento County at:

  • Grocery stores
  • Large Pharmacies
  • Convenience Stores
  • Markets
  • Stores that have a grocery or pharmacy as one of their departments (Target, Walmart, etc.)

Shoppers can:

  • Bring your own Sac – customers can bring any bag of their own to use to carry purchases and are not required to buy a bag if they don’t want or need one
  • Buy a paper or reusable bag at check-out - stores subject to the ban must make recyclable paper or reusable bags available for purchase for a minimum of $.10 per bag

Stores NOT required to stop using single-use plastic bags:

  • Retail stores that do not sell food and does not have a pharmacy
  • Restaurants
  • Farmer’s market

Only applies in the unincorporated areas of Sacramento County

If you shop in an incorporated city in Sacramento County, other than the City of Sacramento, this ordinance does not currently apply. For information on the City of Sacramento’s ordinance, visit their Bring Your Own Sac website.

A full description of stores subject to the plastic bag ban will be part of County Code Ordinance 6.130.020 after full adoption on April 26, 2016.

Exemptions

Bag Exemptions

  • Bags are exempt from the ban and from the $.10 fee if they are reusable bags or bags without handles provided to:
  • Carry produce or meat within a store
  • Carry prescription medication dispensed from a pharmacy
  • Segregate food or merchandise that could damage or contaminate other food or merchandise

Customer Exemptions

Participants in WIC (Women, Infant & Children's) or CalFresh using a voucher or EBT card may not be charged for bags. Stores can choose which reusable or paper bags to offer these customers free of charge.