Finns still buy too many plastic bags, German retail chain Lidl notes in a statement.

Lidl acknowledges plastic is a “common litter” and thus harming for the environment.

Although purchases of plastic bags have decreased, progress is slow.

To speed up “change,” Lidl will raise the price of plastic bags from 39 to 59 cents on January 20, 2026.

This move aims to reduce use and encourage alternatives. Previously, in March 2025, Lidl increased the bag price from 30 to 39 cents, which led to a rise in shopping trips without plastic bags by 3.7 percentage points and now, according to Lidl, over 77% of customers shop without them.

Still—Lidl wants people “to think” before buying new bags.

The company displays reminders at entrances and checkouts encouraging shoppers to use their own bags instead.

“The best bag is the one you already have,” Annu Puurula, the sustainability manager at Lidl, said in a statement.