Shoppers still use plastic despite knowing its harmful effects
The Statesman | 6 June 2025
Convenience beats consciousness! Consumers in Kolkata continue to use plastic bags to carry articles of daily needs from local markets despite being aware of the menace brought by it.
A survey report released on the World Environment Day, today, brought to the fore a striking contradiction between awareness and actual behaviour regarding single-use plastic. The survey was conducted by SwitchON Foundation with an in-depth report based on a primary survey carried out across six major marketplaces in Kolkata – Hatibagan, Burrabazar, New Market, Jadu Babu Bazar, Gariahat, and Dakshinapan. The study carried out on vendors and consumers, reveals a complex yet hopeful picture of the city’s struggle and progress in reducing plastic waste. According to the researchers, while 73 per cent of respondents were aware of what single-use plastic is, and 68 per cent of vendors knew about the government ban on it, plastic bags continue to be widely used due to their practicality and low cost.
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Vendors still distribute plastic bags, with 88 per cent stating that customers continue to demand them. A closer look at the data reveals that 93 per cent of consumers find it convenient to carry their own bags, and 45 per cent actually do bring reusable bags to the market. However, many of these same customers still request plastic bags, often placing their vegetables in plastic bags first and then into their cloth or reusable bags. Despite being informed about the environmental impact and legal restrictions, both consumers and vendors continue with single-use plastic. Around 88 per cent of vendors even claimed that they needed it for daily business.
Interestingly, despite the gaps, the report highlights a strong support from citizens for a complete ban on SUPs. About 51 per cent of the respondents advocated for a reuse or recycling-based strategy, while 46 per cent emphasised the necessity of a total ban.
The findings, according to the researchers, underline the public’s readiness to embrace sustainable change—if the ecosystem supports it. “Half the city supports banning single-use plastics, yet most still reach for a plastic bag — even when holding a reusable one,” pointed out the executive director of SwitchON Foundation, Vinay Jaju. “We know the dangers of plastic, of chopping down trees, of carbon emissions from our cars. But we continue, trading long-term survival for short-term convenience,” he added.
Notably, the mayor of Kolkata Municipal Corporation Firhad Hakim during the monthly meeting at KMC claimed that such single-use plastic bags are entering the city markets through the Nepal border. He had even recommended that to stop its usage, the source of supply ought to be found out and eliminated.