Shortly after New Jersey enacted a strict plastic bag ban three months ago, ShopRite noticed something unusual — the store’s handheld plastic shopping baskets were vanishing. They soon realized that brazen shoppers who didn’t bring their own bags and didn’t want to spend 33¢ on reusable bags were simply leaving the store with their groceries stuffed in the shopping baskets. The store has said they will not buy any replacement baskets — which typically cost $8 — making them the latest grocery store convenience to disappear in the aftermath of the plastic bag ban. In stores where there are still baskets available, new signage has been posted, warning customers that the baskets cannot leave the store.
