The restriction, introduced at the start of the new year by several major mall operators and the ubiquitous 7-Eleven convenience stores, was a victory for environmental campaigners in a country where individuals use an average of eight plastic bags a day.

Customers can now pay a small fee for reusables but budget-conscious shoppers saved money by grabbing anything available and celebrating the different choices on social media.

Make-up artist Acharin Prahausri borrowed food-storage netting from his mother that she normally dries fish with, tossing snacks, milk and juice and posing for a photo at a 7-Eleven in eastern Thailand.

“It’s normally used to protect from flies,” he told AFP, as his post racked up more than 1,600 likes.

In other posts, one man grinned at the camera as he held a wheelbarrow laden with bottles of water, paper towels and soap. Another two women clutched each side of a pink laundry basket heaving with goods.