Don Don Donki to Stop Selling Plastic Bags from 1 Oct 2024

If you’re big on products from Don Don Donki, it would probably be a good idea to bring one or two reusable shopping bags with you as the Japanese retail chain will be discontinuing the sale of plastic bags at all 16 outlets from 1 October 2024.

This piece of news was first seen on a Reddit post on 9 September which showed a poster at one of its outlets, announcing the discontinuation as part of its “commitment to sustainability”.

Don Don Donki has been charging 10 cents per plastic bag since November 2021, and major supermarket chains have started charging five cents per plastic bag since July 2023.

Regarding this latest announcement, many people are less than pleased.

Mixed Reactions from Netizens

On the Reddit thread, many people questioned Don Don Donki’s move.

Others commented that the ready-to-eat food from Don Don Donki often leaks, dirtying their bags and resulting in them having to wash the bags before using them again, which is why they would rather use plastic bags instead.

While many people agreed on this, one interesting comment suggested having multiple reusable bags to rotate around. “You still have dry clothes to wear while your laundry is drying right???”

Makes sense to me.

Some netizens also pointed out that many of Don Don Donki’s products were either made with or wrapped in plastic, adding that there was no point in making this move other than it being “greenwashing”.

Seems like nobody has been able to rebut this so far.

Various news outlets have reached out to Don Don Donki, so let’s see if we get a response.

Fun Facts about Don Don Donki

If you don’t know by now, Don Don Donki is actually known as Don Quijote in Japan and Hawaii. It opened its first outlet in Singapore under the name “Don Don Donki” as the original name was already in use by a restaurant.

Outside of Japan, Don Quijote has the largest number of stores here in Singapore. I wonder if the response to the discontinuation of sale of plastic bags from Singaporeans will mean something.