Sri Lanka, June 30 -- Due to the ban on the free issue of lightweight polythene shopping bags by supermarkets to customers to tackle environmental pollution, supermarkets are saving over Rs. 50 million per month.

Food First Information & Action Network of Sri Lanka (FIAN) Executive Director Thilak said that with the implementation of the government's ban and the Central Environmental Authority's regulations on the free issue of polythene bags, supermarkets are saving a huge amount of money.

Supermarkets were in the habit of issuing free polythene bags to customers, but with the ban they started charging Rs. 3, Rs. 5 and upwards for each polythene bag.

"This is because they now get paid by customers for polythene bags that were earlier ...