Attempts over the past few years to limit the use of single use plastic bags in shops had not had the desired success, so from Sunday, all shops, under a new law passed by central government, will have to charge for plastic bags.
For some time now, supermarkets and some of the large retail outlets have been charging for bags, but as of 1 July, all shops will have to follow suit.
According to the government, this is the first step towards the outright ban on plastic shopping bags in 2020.
Madrid considers that it has given the retail sector sufficient time to adjust to the eventual eradication of plastic bags also enabling consumers to get used to using alternative ways of carrying their shopping, such as reusable bags which have become increasingly popular.
The cost of a plastic shopping bag will range from five to 15 cents.