Is Walmart getting rid of bags on July 1? Yes, but not yet in NJ

A trip to the local Walmart is pretty much a mundane everyday occurrence for most folks. But a slight change in that routine can cause a huge ripple effect.

Case in point, a viral article coming from 92 Moose in Augusta, Maine (a Townsquare Media station, like this one) which stated that Walmart was going 100% bagless on July 1. Seeing that this article originated in Maine, this was absolutely true.

Only the Walmarts in Maine will be affected July 1

What wasn't immediately clear for some readers once the article was picked up by various news sharing platforms, like News Break, was that this was set to happen only in Maine Walmarts on July 1, which was designated to coincide with the Pine Tree State's plastic bag ban on July 1. The ban was originally set to start in April of 2020, but was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

After a quick uproar on Twitter, the corporate giant's communications team made things quite clear: “Walmart is converting all of its stores in the State of Maine to bagless on July 1."

Snopes: "Walmart has not announced that all of its stores in the U.S. will be bagless on July 1, 2021."

Even "myth buster" fact-checking site Snopes caught wind and took the opportunity to make sure Walmart shoppers in other states knew they would not be deprived of plastic bags just yet.

When does New Jersey's plastic ban take effect?

People here in New Jersey have until May 2022 to get ready for the state's ban on single-use plastic shopping bags. The law also affects disposable cups and food containers made out of polystyrene foam.