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Starting Feb. 22, Stop & Shop will offer free reusable...

Starting Feb. 22, Stop & Shop will offer free reusable bags to customers who bring in one or more plastic bags to be recycle, limit one per customer while supplies last. Credit: Randee Daddona

Want to score free reusable shopping bags? Grab a few of the ol' plastic ones and head over to Stop & Shop.

Beginning Feb. 22, the Massachusetts-based grocer will offer free reusable bags to customers who bring in one of more carryout plastic bags for recycling, with a limit of one per customer per visit, while supplies last. 

The chain's reusable bag giveaway initiative comes a few weeks ahead of New York State's plastic bag ban set to take effect on March 1. Information tables, where staff members will answer customer's questions about the upcoming ban, will be set up at Stop & Shop locations throughout the state. 

The offer is valid at all Stop & Shop stores in New York State with the exception of Long Beach, where reusable bag giveaways are not permitted by law, a company spokeswoman said.

"We're committed to encouraging the use of reusables and to helping our customers make the transition," Stop & Shop president Gordon Reid said in a statement. 

Stop & Shop stores in cities or counties that "opted in" for a 5-cent paper bag fee will collect and remit the funds to the government, per state law. Suffolk County has opted in and Nassau has not.  

Retailers are free to charge for bags regardless of whether an area opts in or out. 

At locations where the city or county "opted out" of the fee, Stop & Shop will also collect 5 cents per bag, Reid said. These funds, however, will be donated to three local environmental groups, including the Coastal Research & Education Society of Long Island. The idea is to encourage customers to use reusable bags, he said. 

Other supermarket chains on the Island are also taking steps to comply with the new law. 

"ShopRite is concerned about the environmental impact of both plastic and paper bags, which is why we firmly believe that reusable bags are the best choice," a company spokeswoman said. "We encourage customers to 'be the change' and bring their own bags to shop."

The retailer sells a variety of "durable, reusable bags and totes," she said, adding that in the coming weeks ShopRite will place "Plan for the Ban" signs throughout its stores. 

"We will also share that message on store Facebook pages," she said.

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