China's Ministry of Commerce, National Development & Reform Commission and State Administration For Industry & Commerce have promulgated complementary rules for the plastic bag ban implemented from June 1, 2008, claiming now that the ban is also applicable to retail outlets including restaurants, bookstores, clothing stores and building material stores across China.

According to the amalgamation of the new rules, pre-packaged plastic bags for food must have no handles and suit relative standards for food packaging. Besides food, other plastic bags provided by manufacturers along with products and relative requirements are also regarded as pre-packaged bags.

The complementary rules also say that plastic bags with no labels, environmental statement or security statement but were bought before April 16 when "General Technical Requirements for Environmental Protection, Security and Label of Plastic Bags" was announced and satisfy the security and thickness requirements can be used until September 30, 2008.

In addition, bags that retail outlets offer to customers should be purchased from legal manufacturers, wholesalers and importers, and relative certificates and licenses can be demanded to assuage any worries that the bag manufacturers are suitable.