Congress proposes to prohibit businesses from placing their logo on reusable bags

Congresswoman María Taipe Coronado, from the Perú Libre bench, proposes to prohibit commercial establishments, supermarkets, self-service stores, and businesses in general from selling reusable bags that have their names, logos, phrases, slogans, and characteristic colors of their brand printed on them. According to the initiative, the purpose is to protect consumers from becoming a “vehicle” of advertising for a certain commercial establishment.

It is pointed out that the law, if approved, should be applied to all commercial companies that have activities of any kind. For this, article 2 of Law 30884 must be modified, “Law that regulates single-use plastic and disposable containers or containers”, also known as the plastics law, which came into force in 2019 to contribute to the environmental Protection.

Said legislative framework indicates that establishments must charge for each bag they deliver, to this it would be added that these packages must not have the name or logo of the company printed, with the exception of the requirements contained in the labeling. Likewise, the sale of all types of bags, containers or paper containers and the like that have the aforementioned characteristics is also prohibited.

“The reusable and biodegradable bags offered for sale by commercial establishments bear names, logos, phrases, slogans and characteristic colors, restricting the right of consumers to choose,” the document states.

Likewise, it adds: “Despite the fact that our legal system protects entrepreneurship, this does not mean that this right is absolute, but, on the contrary, it is limited; meanwhile, it cannot and should not affect the rights of people.”

The proposal was presented last Wednesday, January 4, and must be evaluated by the congressional committees before reaching plenary for debate and voting.