Single-use, lightweight plastic bags will be banned in Victoria, the Andrews Government has announced, bringing it into line with a number of other states.

Environment Minister Lily D'Ambrosio said the Government would consult with businesses and the community on how to implement the ban.

"In some states they have gone down the road of banning the use of lightweight plastic bags [but that] resulted in an increase of the use of heavier plastic bags," she said.

"We don't want to repeat those mistakes."

The Government will hold a three-month consultation process.

Single-use plastic bags are banned in South Australia, Tasmania, the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory, while Western Australia and Queensland laws will come into effect next year.

In July, supermarket giants Coles and Woolworths announced they would phase out single-use bags over the next 12 months, and charge 15 cents for re-usable ones.

Greens want microbeads, produce plastic banned

The Greens said the ban did not go far enough, arguing it should also cover microbeads and plastic packaging around fruit and vegetables.

But Ms D'Ambrosio said that was impractical.

"Their agenda is to totally ban all plastics packaging [but] understanding the consequences of that and the impact on industry and our economy was something that the Greens didn't want to consider," she said.

Plastic Bag Free Victoria spokesman Robert Skehan told ABC Radio Melbourne he was cautiously optimistic.

"When the legislation actually gets onto the floor of the Parliament and gets passed through the Parliament we'll be far more excited, because these announcements have been made in the past and nothing has happened," he said.

"The Labor Government in 2006 actually announced they would do this, but legislation never got to Parliament."