> that doesn't align with my anecdotal observations whatsoever Are you factoring in all of the people you don't see? What about everyone who picks up grocerie

> that doesn't align with my anecdotal observations whatsoever Are you factoring in all of the people you don't see? What about everyone who picks up groceries or has them delivered? 100% of those transactions use the "reusable" bags. You even provide an example of how your reasoning fails: > ...which can now hold more since it's sturdier ... Just because something can hold more, doesn't mean it will. Someone who needs a disposable bag to hold 3 items they just bought now has to use the heavier duty bag. People don't want to over-pack bags because certain items will be crushed or damaged. They tend to under pack or individually pack certain items. Those people are now using heavy duty reusable bags for a task that the old light weight bags would have sufficed.