Citing price concerns

Sulaymaniyah bakeries resist plastic bag ban

2024-08-15 | 14:47

SULAYMANIYAH—Nearly a month after the Kurdistan Regional Government imposed a ban on plastic bags in bakeries and samoon shops, compliance remains elusive in Sulaymaniyah, as is the case in other regions. The ban, which took effect on July 24, 2024, was introduced by the Ministry of Health due to health concerns linked to plastic, including its potential contribution to cancer. The ministry advocates for the adoption of paper bags as a healthier alternative.

Despite these directives, many local bakeries and samoon shops continue to use plastic bags. Diler Ahmed, owner of a bakery in the Zargata Kon neighborhood of Sulaymaniyah, expressed his reluctance to make the switch to paper bags, citing cost issues. “We are not yet ready to switch to paper bags, as they are more expensive,” Ahmed told 964media. He explained that the higher costs of paper bags would force them to alter their pricing structure, “If we are forced to use paper bags, we would not be able to sell bread at current prices.”

Similarly, Dlawer Azad, another bakery owner in the Ibrahim Ahmed neighborhood, acknowledged the ban but indicated his business was unprepared for the transition. Azad highlighted the logistical challenges posed by paper bags, noting, “While we bake batches of 25 or 50 loaves, the paper bags can only hold about 20 loaves at a time.”

Both bakery owners warned that enforcing the ban could lead them to reduce the quantity of bread sold per 1,000 Iraqi dinars (less than a US dollar). Currently, eight loaves are sold for this amount, but with the shift to paper bags, they foresee reducing this to six loaves. Similarly, those currently selling six loaves would need to decrease to four. This change is complicated by government regulations that fix bread prices, prohibiting bakeries from independently adjusting prices to offset increased packaging costs or differences in rents. The price controls have caused considerable protest and dissent by bakers throughout the Kurdistan Region.