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It's been more than two months since the Government implemented a ban on the manufacturing, importation and distribution of single use plastic bags, 24 by 24 inches or smaller.

And while some wholesale operators in the Corporate Area are still welcoming the move, they said they're losing business as a result.

Andrea, owner of Essential Trading on Orange Street, in downtown Kingston, said that customers do not want to purchase the alternatives they have in stock.

That's because they still believe she should be providing them with bags, and because of this, she's been losing customers.

"I have shopping bags that I sell for $80 to $150. But they don't want to buy them, they want free bags. My sales have dropped a small percentage. When we don't give dem the bag, they walk out leave their groceries and seh dem not buying here," she said.

Andrea also noted that she has had problems finding alternatives to the single use plastic bags.

"We don't know what to give as a substitute because most places, when you call, they haven't started producing paper bags as yet," she said.

Meanwhile, Jimmy, owner of Jade Dragon Wholesale and Retail in Cross Roads, said he's been selling garbage bags to his customers to put their goods in.

But he said the cost of these bags are almost twice what he could pay for a case of single use plastic bags.

"When I used to buy scandal bags, I pay less than $2 for one. Now for a case of garbage bags, that's $280, so dats $28 for one. I sell them for $30," he said. "I've been losing profits. Customers weh nuh carry bag, if yuh nuh give dem bag, dem walk out."

Fenny, of Fenny123, also in Cross Roads, said she had to deal with the insults from customers who come in without bags and are refusing to buy the bags she sells for $60.

"I have a big problem. I tell the customers it's $60 for a shopping bag and they cuss me, dem don't wah pay the money. So many people don't understand, and they cuss and say Chinese people so cheap," she said

Fenny said to ease the situation, she made some paper bags using paper from the directory, and gives them to her customers for free.

But she explained that these bags can only hold a small amount of goods.

The plastic ban was implemented on January 1. Two orders were gazetted in Parliament to support the ban on plastics policy.

The Plastic Packaging Materials Prohibition Order 2018 carries a maximum fine of $2 million and there's a $50,000 fine for breaching the Natural Resources Conservation Authority Act Plastic Packaging Prohibiting Order 2018. Any breach of these orders can result in a jail time of up to two years.