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Bill

Bill

S 177

Eliminates prohibition on provision of single-use paper bags by grocery stores for delivery orders; requires certain retailers to repurpose cardboard boxes if feasible.

2026-2027 Regular Session Introduced by Jim Beach

New Jersey bill exempts grocery delivery orders from single-use paper bag restrictions while requiring retailers to reuse cardboard boxes when operationally feasible.

Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Environment and Energy Committee
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Bill Summary · S 177

Legislative bill overview

S 177 removes New Jersey's ban on grocery stores providing single-use paper bags specifically for delivery orders, while simultaneously requiring certain retailers to reuse cardboard boxes when feasible. The bill creates a carve-out from existing single-use bag restrictions for the delivery context.

Why is this important

This bill addresses a practical tension between environmental regulations and e-commerce logistics. Grocery delivery services currently face constraints under New Jersey's single-use bag laws, and this measure attempts to balance sustainability goals with operational efficiency in the growing online grocery sector.

Potential points of contention

  • Environmental inconsistency: The bill weakens bag restrictions during a period when states are moving toward stricter single-use plastic/paper reduction policies; opponents may argue this contradicts climate goals
  • Definition ambiguity: The phrase "if feasible" for cardboard repurposing lacks clear standards, potentially making compliance subjective and difficult to enforce across retailers
  • Scope questions: Unclear whether the paper bag exemption applies to all delivery scenarios or just grocery deliveries, and what counts as a "grocery store" versus general retailers

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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