Which supermarkets replace bags for life as people realise what it actually means

A viral discussion online has left people gobsmacked after learning that if your Bag for Life becomes worn or damaged, you can take it back to the supermarket you bought it from and get a brand-new replacement for free.Major supermarkets like Asda, Sainsbury’s, Tesco, and M&S all follow this policy – but Aldi and Morrisons do not. Morrisons scrapped plastic Bags for Life altogether, switching to paper alternatives instead.

The revelation came to light after a Mumsnet user posted about it on the forum, admitting they had no idea this was a thing.

They wrote:“Honestly, I just found out that if your Bag for Life gets damaged, you can take it back to the supermarket, and they’ll replace it for free! I always thought ‘Bag for Life’ was just a fancy way of saying ‘sturdier plastic bag’ – but no, it's literally for life. How did I not know this?! Have I been throwing them away like an absolute fool all these years?! Please tell me I'm not the only one who only just figured this out…”

The post quickly gained traction, with many admitting they’d unknowingly been binning their reusable bags for years instead of swapping them for a fresh one.

Which Supermarkets Replace Bags for Life?

Retail experts at BritSuperstore decided to dig deeper and found that many shoppers are unaware of the policy. Grocery expert Richard Price confirmed that while most supermarkets offer the free swap, not all do.

Here’s what each supermarket says:

• Asda – "If your Bag for Life breaks or gets damaged, we will happily replace it free of charge."
• Sainsbury’s – "We offer reusable Bags for Life, made from 100% recycled content. When they wear down, we replace them for free and recycle the old bag."
• Tesco – "If your Tesco Bag for Life becomes worn out, bring it to the checkout and exchange it for a new one, free of charge."
• M&S – "You can return your Bag for Life for replacement or recycling when they wear out."
• Morrisons – No free replacements. Morrisons scrapped plastic Bags for Life and replaced them with paper alternatives.
• Aldi – No free replacements. Aldi does not offer a policy for swapping old Bags for Life for new ones.

Grocery expert Richard Price, from BritSuperstore—an online British supermarket that ships British goods worldwide says: “Many shoppers don’t realise that ‘Bags for Life’ are more than just a sturdier alternative to single-use plastic—they’re part of a wider effort to reduce waste. Supermarkets offering free replacements are encouraging customers to reuse rather than repurchase, which is a step towards more sustainable shopping habits. The fact that so many people are only just discovering this shows there’s still a gap in awareness. If more shoppers took advantage of these policies, we could significantly cut down on plastic waste and unnecessary spending.”