Do You Have to Pay for Grocery Bags in Europe?

In most of Europe, yes. Supermarkets either charge for a bag at the till or don't offer one at all, and nobody bags your groceries for you. It's a small thing that catches first-time visitors every day. The fix is simple: carry a bag that folds flat, and pull it out before you reach the checkout.

Why bags cost money in Europe

• The EU rule: under Directive 2015/720, EU countries had to make sure lightweight plastic carrier bags were no longer handed out free at the point of sale by 31 December 2018 (or take equally effective measures). So in Germany, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Portugal, Austria and the rest of the EU, the thin checkout bag is either paid for or gone. Very thin bags for loose fruit, vegetables and meat are usually exempt.
• France went further: single-use plastic checkout bags were banned outright from 2016, and thin fruit-and-vegetable bags followed in 2017 unless they are biodegradable. French supermarkets sell sturdier reusable bags instead.
• Ireland: the plastic bag levy dates from 2002 and is 22 cents per bag. Reusable bags sold for 70 cents or more are exempt, which is why every Irish shop has a stack of them.
• England: every retailer, whatever its size, must charge at least 10p per single-use carrier bag (since 21 May 2021). Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own charges.

The amounts are small, typically a few cents to a euro, but they add up over a trip, and the bigger cost is standing at the till realising you have nothing to put your shopping in.

What locals actually do

• Supermarkets: bring your own bag and pack as you pay. Cashiers scan fast and don't bag; the shopper behind you expects you to be ready. A spare bag in your daypack is the local habit.
• Markets: stallholders may give you a small paper or thin plastic bag for the produce itself, but you carry the lot in your own bag. A tote with a flat bottom is ideal for a market haul of fruit, cheese and bread.
• Bakeries: you'll get a paper sleeve or small bag for the bread or pastry; the tote keeps it from getting squashed next to your water bottle.
• Pharmacies and small shops: often no bag at all unless you ask, and then it may be charged.

What to pack

• One bag that folds flat and weighs almost nothing, so it lives in your daypack and comes out for the supermarket, the market and the souvenir shop.
• Choose one that holds a real load (a couple of bottles of water, fruit, bread) and sits on your shoulder, so your hands stay free for the map.
• Cotton or canvas doubles as the bag your souvenirs go in while you're out exploring, and it packs flat for the flight home.

It's not only Europe

If you're coming from the US, you may already know the drill: eleven states ban single-use plastic checkout bags (California's full ban on all retail plastic bags took effect on 1 January 2026, and New Jersey bans single-use paper bags in large grocery stores too), and several charge 5 to 10 cents for paper. The same habit, bring your own, works everywhere from Lisbon to Tokyo.

Planning your first trip?

The constantXplorer Paris 3-day guide and Lisbon 3-day guide plan the days around the sights, with the routes connected and the tickets decided. If you want a bag with the skyline on it, the constantXplorer tote is organic cotton, folds flat, and carries up to 30 pounds of market finds.