Starting with 1st of July 2018, carrier bags will be charged by all shops operating in Spain. Prior to the new regulation, supermarkets registered in Spain already imposed the payment of a small fee per each bag, but not all retailers had to do so. As a general rule, the carrier bags are usually imposed with a fee of approximately 2 eurocents for small bags, while a charge of approximately 10 cents is imposed in the case of larger bags. Our team of Spanish lawyers can advise businessmen on the environmental regulations that are available for all types of retailers performing business activities in this country. 

 

 

Prior to this regulation, most of the companies in Spain selling various goods and products were inclined to provide plastic bags for free, and this trend is mostly observed in the case small, family-owned businesses operating here.

 

Under the new requirements, all types of companies selling goods in Spain will have to impose a small charge for each bag and it is important to know that such businesses are free to establish the price threshold. However, the local authorities recommended a price of 5-15 cents per bag, and this can vary depending on the following characteristics of the bag:

 

• size;

• thickness;

• composition. 

 

 

Businesses in Spain can benefit from an exemption regarding the charge for carrier bags in specific conditions. A company can still give out plastic bags for free if hygiene reasons may impose so. For example, this can apply at a fish counter or for loose products – such as vegetables and fruits and our team of lawyers in Spain can offer more details on this legal matter. 

 

Another ground through which businesses may still offer free bags refers to the composition of the material and this applies to bags that have a thickness of minimum 50 micrograms. It is also applicable in the case of bags that contain minimum 70% recycled plastic. 

 

Businessmen are invited to contact our law firm in Spain for in-depth information on other regulations that can be applied to Spanish retailers.