“Well we’re going to take our time, we’ll transition slowly,” said Jim Hyland of Roundy’s. “We’re going to listen to our customers. We’re going to talk to them. We’re going to get their feedback and we’re going to find out what the best alternative is here.

Plastic bags can take 10 to 1,000 years to decompose, and 100 billion of those end up in landfills around the country every year.

When Kroger-owned stores around the country get rid of theirs, it will take six billion bags a year out of the equation.

Kroger, the parent company for Pick ‘n Save and Metro Market, announced this plan last summer, but the formal phase-out began April 1.