A move to ban plastic bags in Australia hit hurdles in recent weeks after shoppers reacted angrily to discovering they could no longer receive free bags at the checkout counters.
The Australian authorities have faced growing calls to combat the scourge of plastic bags, which take a heavy toll on the environment.
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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on August 14, 2018, with the headline World Focus: Customers in Australia finding it tough to tear away from plastic bags. Subscribe