Plastic grocery bags will soon be a thing of the past at Kroger.

The grocery chain announced it has begun eliminating single-use plastic bags in all its stores as part of its Zero Hunger/Zero Waste initiative. Washington-based QFC, a division of Kroger, is the first chain of stores to eliminate the bags entirely. Other locations will follow suit with the goal of eliminating the bags by 2025.

“We listen closely to our customers and our communities, and we agree with their growing concerns about use-once, throw-it-away plastic bags,” said Suzy Monford, president of QFC. "This is why we are leading the change and inviting our customers to join us as we help to create zero waste neighborhoods."

In making the change, Kroger cites statistics that estimate as many as 100 billion single-use plastic bags are thrown away in the U.S. each year. Currently, less than 5 percent of plastic bags are recycled annually in the U.S.

The plastic bags will be replaced with reusable bags that will be sold for $1.

Kroger operates some 2,800 stores across the U.S.