In some of the 50 states, plastic bags at grocery stores are a thing of the past. Many stores encourage reusable bags, but some shops have swapped the usual plastic out for paper bags, which are sturdy enough to carry your various food items but reusable in ways that make them worthy far beyond the supermarket. Twelve states have regulations that limit single-use plastic bags, and in various cities, such as Boston and Seattle, there is a plastic bag ban.