Yakima Residents are Paying More at the Grocery Store Starting 2026, but Not in Food

With the new year brings more ways to get you to open your wallet a little wider each time, it seems.

Though the prices of most everything seem to be on the incline, it makes one hopefully be smarter about what to buy, how to buy it, where to buy it, and find their own routine to maximize their shopping habits.

There is one item that just raised its price as of January 1st, 2026 that some may not have known about but it's all over Yakima and expands to the rest of Washington State.

Washington State Department of Ecology has raised the price of plastic bags at the checkstand.

Watch your wallets because this plastic bag increase has gone from 8 cents to a whopping 12 cents.

It may not seem like a huge increase, but it's an increase all the same.

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I could see them continue to increase year after year as well.

The way to combat this, like most, is to simply bring your own bags from home. They could be those pretty canvas bags I see most use. You're also very welcome to bring these reusable 12 cent bags as well. They're far more sturdy than they used to be and can be used multiple times. Even if it's not from the same store, you're fine. They won't judge.

Paperbags are still 8 cents.

The single-use plastic bag man started in 2021 in an effort to cut down on litter.