AUSTIN, Texas — Whole Foods’ two stores here on Wednesday stopped offering plastic bags to customers in what the retailer termed to be a first step toward a companywide plastic bag ban in the new year. “Let’s face it, plastic bags fill landfills, harm our water systems and wildlife, and litter our roadsides and communities. We are discontinuing the use of these bags in support of our core value of caring for our communities and our environment,” Seth Stutzman, Whole Foods Market’s Southwest regional vice president, said in a statement. Whole Foods said it would sell reusable bags made of recyclable materials for 99 cents at all stores. It will also offer bags made of recycled paper for free. Also on Wednesday, the Austin stores said it would increase from 5 cents to 10 cents per bag the discount it offers customers who reuse bags.

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