Which reusable grocery bags passed, and failed, Marketplace's durability test?
Marketplace , , | CBC News | Posted: September 26, 2025 8:00 AM | Last Updated: September 26
Sobeys, Walmart, Loblaws, Dollarama, Metro bags put to the test
Image | Bag test Caption: Single-use plastic items are a substantial contributor to litter across Canada, but compostable alternatives can follow a similar path. Marketplace set out to determine how items would break down if they ended up in our environment. (Patrick Morrell/CBC) Load image Open image in new tab (external link)
They're taking over your cupboards, the backseat of your car and your kitchen: Reusable grocery bags.
With plastic bag bans at all levels of government across Canada, shoppers are faced with a plethora of choices at the grocery store. Is it better to grab the flimsy cloth T-shirt-style bags, or shell out for a heftier tote? Marketplace set up a test to find out.
Watch the season premiere of Marketplace, "Plastic Alternatives: Eco-Friendly or Eco-Fiction?" now on YouTube (external link) , or Friday at 8 p.m., 8:30 p.m. in Newfoundland on CBC TV.
The Canadian government counts bags containing plastic as reusable (external link) if they can withstand 100 trips of 53 metres each while carrying 10 kilograms, without breaking or tearing.
Although this regulation is on hold while the plastics industry challenges it in court, Marketplace wanted to find out which bags sold at Canadian stores met that benchmark. We purchased bags from Sobeys, Real Canadian Superstore, Dollarama, Walmart and Metro, and tested a single-use plastic bag for comparison.
Image | Marketplace bag test overhead Caption: Every trip, students would unpack and repack 10 kilograms of groceries to simulate a trip to the store. (Patrick Morrell/CBC) Load image Open image in new tab (external link)
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