Apple to Phase Out Plastic Bags for Environmentally Friendly Paper Bags Starting April 15

When a customer buys an Apple product in an Apple retail store, it's packaged in a white plastic drawstring bag emblazoned with an Apple logo, something that's become an iconic part of the Apple experience. Starting later this month, Apple is introducing changes to its bagging policy, phasing out plastic bags in favor of a more environmentally friendly paper option.

Apple is planning to switch from the plain white plastic bags to paper bags made from 80 percent recycled materials, which Apple says will further its goal of leaving the world "better than we found it." Apple informed employees of the impending change in a note, which was shared by 9to5Mac.

In addition to handing out paper bags, employees are also being asked to adopt a new policy of querying customers as to whether a bag is needed at all instead of simply providing one.

appleshoppingbag

Image via the Daily Mail

We're committed to leaving the world better than we found it. One bag at a time. So on April 15, we'll switch to paper shopping bags made from 80 percent recycled materials. These bags come in medium and large.

When customers are buying a product, ask if they need a bag. They may decide they don't. And you'll encourage them to be even more environmentally friendly.

If you still have plastic bags in stock, use them before you switch to the new paper bags.

While Apple will begin offering the new bags on April 15, employees have been instructed to continue to use all of the available stock of plastic bags before switching to paper. Once the supply is exhausted, the new paper bags, the design of which is unknown, will be used exclusively.

Given Apple's focus on recycling, clean energy, and reducing its carbon footprint, the company's switch from plastic to paper should come as no surprise. Apple already focuses on minimizing packaging size for its products from iPhones to Macs and two-thirds of the paper used for packaging is from recycled content with the rest sourced from sustainable forests.

Popular Stories

Generic iOS 18

iOS 18.1 With Apple Intelligence: New Features, Release Date, and More

Thursday October 10, 2024 8:26 am PDT by
iOS 18.1 will be released to the public in the coming weeks, and the software update introduces the first Apple Intelligence features for the iPhone. Below, we outline when to expect iOS 18.1 to be released. iOS 18.1: Apple Intelligence Features Here are some of the key Apple Intelligence features in the iOS 18.1 beta so far: A few Siri enhancements, including improved understanding...
16 pro

iPhone 17 Pro Models Rumored to Introduce These 5 New Features

Friday October 11, 2024 8:55 am PDT by
While the iPhone 16 series was released just a few weeks ago, there are already many rumored features for the iPhone 17 models, and especially for the Pro models. Below, we recap five key new features rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max so far: 24MP front camera for all iPhone 17 models: All four iPhone 17 models will feature an upgraded 24-megapixel front-facing camera, according...
Generic iOS 18 Feature Real Mock

Apple Stops Signing iOS 18.0

Thursday October 10, 2024 12:10 pm PDT by
Apple today stopped signing iOS 18.0, preventing iPhone users who have upgraded to iOS 18.0.1 from downgrading to iOS 18. Apple released iOS 18.0.1 a week ago on October 3. It is not unusual for Apple to stop signing older versions of iOS within a week or two after a new version of iOS is released. When Apple stops signing an update, it can no longer be installed on an iPhone due to a...
When Will Apple Launch More M4 Macs Feature

Will Apple Release M4 Macs Soon? Here's What the Latest Rumors Say

Thursday October 10, 2024 6:22 am PDT by
Apple often releases new Macs in the fall, but we are still waiting for official confirmation that the company has similar plans this year. We're approaching the middle of October now, and if Apple plans to announce new Macs before the holidays, recent history suggests it will happen this month. Here's what we know so far. As of writing this, it's been 220 days since Apple released a new...
space black mbp

Apple Potentially Facing Worst Leak Since iPhone 4 Was Left in a Bar

Monday October 7, 2024 3:03 pm PDT by
Alleged photos and videos of an unannounced 14-inch MacBook Pro with an M4 chip continue to surface on social media, in what could be the worst product leak for Apple since an employee accidentally left an iPhone 4 prototype at a bar in California in 2010. The latest video of what could be a next-generation MacBook Pro was shared on YouTube Shorts today by Russian channel Romancev768, just...
iPhone 17 Slim Feature Single Camera 2

10 Reasons to Wait for Next Year's iPhone 17

Tuesday October 8, 2024 5:45 am PDT by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models simultaneously, which is why we sometimes get rumored feature leaks so far ahead of launch. The iPhone 17 series is no different – already we have some idea of what to expect from Apple's 2025 smartphone lineup. If you plan to skip...
ios 18 1 make primary

iOS 18.1 Includes Option to Set 'Primary' Email Address and Change iCloud Email

Friday October 11, 2024 3:55 pm PDT by
In iOS 18.1, there is a new option to set a "Primary" email address in the Settings app, which means it is easier to change the main email address associated with your Apple Account. The Primary email address is the one that is visible to other people when collaborating on and sharing documents, sending calendar invites, and more. Apple did not previously make it easy to change an Apple...
iPad mini review thumb

iPad Mini 7 Coming Next Month: What to Expect

Tuesday October 8, 2024 6:16 am PDT by
Rumors strongly suggest Apple will release the seventh-generation iPad mini in November, nearly three years after the last refresh. Here's a roundup of what we're expecting from the next version of Apple's small form factor tablet, based on the latest rumors and reports. Design and Display The new iPad mini is likely to retain its compact 8.3-inch display and overall design introduced with...

Top Rated Comments

Caliber26 Avatar
111 months ago
Oh no!

Am I the only one here who LOVES the current bags? I use them for just about everything. I must own over 30 of them lol.
Score: 37 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Candlelight Avatar
111 months ago
"an iconic part of the Apple experience"

It's just a bag. Geez.
Score: 28 Votes (Like | Disagree)
anaqvi786 Avatar
111 months ago
Price on eBay going up in 3..... 2...... 1......
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
DrewDaHilp1 Avatar
111 months ago
You mean they won't sell you a reusable bag to save trees? :rolleyes:
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
itsjosephmartin Avatar
111 months ago
Darn! I'm really gonna miss the current plastic bags. I understand paper bags are better for the environment but there's something so nice about the current ones!
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
UsernameAlreadyInUse Avatar
111 months ago
Yet planned obsolescence in Apple computers today sends machines to the landfill quicker than ever before. Oh the sweet sweet nectar of irony...
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)