Moving an entire store or supermarket off plastic bags can feel like a bigger project than it needs to be. Here's the practical, phase-by-phase checklist we walk retail partners through.
Step 1: Audit your current bag usage
- List every bag format currently in use — checkout carry bags, produce bags, billing counter bags, bulk/wholesale packing.
- Note approximate monthly volume for each format — this drives your pricing and MOQ conversation with a supplier.
- Identify your peak-demand periods (festival season, weekends) so initial stock levels are realistic.
Step 2: Match sizes to actual use cases
Compostable bags typically come in a few standard formats — it helps to map your current usage onto these before ordering:
- U-cut and D-cut bags for general retail carry-out.
- Grocery pouches for loose produce and perishables.
- Garbage bags for back-of-store and municipal waste.
- Custom-printed bags if checkout bags double as brand touchpoints.
Step 3: Request samples and certification documents before committing
Before placing a bulk order, test samples for load-bearing strength with your actual product mix (a grocery bag needs to survive real items, not just a lab test), and request the supplier's compostability certificate — see our guide on what to check in an EN 13432 / ASTM D6400 certificate.
Step 4: Plan the cost transition
Certified compostable bags typically cost more per unit than thin plastic bags. Retailers commonly offset this in one of a few ways:
- Building the cost into product pricing incrementally rather than as a sudden line-item.
- Charging a small nominal fee per bag at checkout (increasingly normalized post plastic-ban enforcement).
- Positioning it as a brand differentiator in marketing — many customers respond well to visible sustainability efforts.
Step 5: Train staff before the switch, not after
- Brief billing/counter staff on why the switch is happening (compliance + sustainability), so they can answer customer questions confidently.
- Make sure staff know compostable bags should go into organic/wet waste streams at end of life, not general recycling.
- Set a clear cut-over date rather than mixing old and new stock indefinitely.
Step 6: Communicate the change to customers
A short shelf-talker, till receipt line, or social media post explaining the switch turns a operational change into a visible sustainability story. Customers are generally receptive when the reasoning (compliance + environment) is stated plainly.
Step 7: Re-order on a predictable cycle
Once volumes stabilize, set a recurring re-order schedule with your supplier rather than ordering reactively — this avoids both stockouts and last-minute price pressure.
Most stores complete this transition in phases over 4–8 weeks: checkout bags first, then produce bags, then back-of-store waste bags — rather than switching everything on day one.
Ready to plan your store's transition? Get in touch for size recommendations and volume pricing.