Since June 1 when the plastic bag ban was officially implemented, whether restaurants should be included in the ban or not has been scrutinized both in the media and in government agencies.

On July 10, complementary rules for plastic bag ban were unveiled, and some media said that the ban is also applicable to restaurants. However now officials from the State Administration For Industry & Commerce say that temporarily restaurants are not included in the ban "in principle". According to the complementary rules, retail outlets indicate companies providing retail services and businesses of individual industrial and commercial households.

However, some restaurants have been charging for plastic bags since June 1. The Beijing Municipal Bureau of Commerce says this is independent action of restaurants, because there are no imperative rules for that currently. However soon new rules may be issued that will further specify what types of retail businesses will be affected.