Major supermarket chains in Sri Lanka will begin charging customers for single-use plastic shopping bags from tomorrow(01).

This measure is in line with the government's efforts to reduce plastic waste, as mandated by Gazette No. 2456/41, issued on 1 October.

The new charges will be Rs. three for a medium-sized handle bag and Rs. five for a large handle bag.

Leading retailers, including Keells, Cargills Food City, Laugfs Super, SPAR, and Glomark, jointly announced the change, urging customers to bring their own reusable bags to support the environmentally responsible transition.