Chinese retailers could be fined up to 10,000 yuan ($1,428) for providing shoppers with free plastic shopping bags from June 1, the Ministry of Commerce has announced.The maximum penalty, included in a new draft regulation, was sharply down from 30,000 yuan previously reported by domestic media.

The draft stated the prices of plastic bags could be set by shop owners themselves, but they should not be below cost. Market places would be prohibited from offering discounts or using other methods to sell consumers plastic shopping bags at prices lower than those stated on the price tags. Free bags, even under other guises, would be banned. Retailers would also have to list the number and prices of shopping bags separately on the sales documents given to consumers. Supermarkets and stores violating the rules could be fined up to 10,000 yuan, while those failing to clearly price bags could be fined up to 5,000 yuan. The regulation would not be applied to plastic packaging for the hygiene and safety of products like fresh and cooked food, said the draft.

The ministry has published the document on its website and will be seeking public submissions till April 14. The move followed a ban in January on the manufacture, sale and use of ultra-thin plastic bags (defined as less than 0.025 mm thick) from June 1 as part of China's efforts to protect the environment and save energy.
 
中国商务部宣布：自六月一日起，零售商如向顾客提供免费的塑料袋，将会被处以最高1万元（1428美元）的罚款。最新草案中规定的处罚上限比之前国内媒体报道的3万元有了大幅下调。

该草案允许商店业主自行对塑料袋定价，但不可低于其成本价。禁止商场以打折或其它方式低于其标价出售塑料袋。只要是免费塑料袋，不论以何形式提供都予以禁止。零售商还必须对塑料袋明码标价，列出数量和单价，并与其它商品分开摆放。违反规定的超市和商场将被处以最高1万元的罚款，而未能按规定对塑料袋定价的罚款最高可达5000元。而那些用以确保卫生和安全的塑料袋，如鲜食和熟食的包装，则不适用于该草案的相关规定。

商务部在官方网站公布了相关文件，在4月1号前接受公众反馈意见。继1月份出台“将从6月1日起禁止生产,销售，使用超薄塑料袋（即厚度小于0.025）”的规定之后,再次推出该草案，这些举措均系中国政府致力保护环境以及节能计划的一部分。