Australia is in the midst of going plastic-free when it comes to single-use bags. Some states and territories have already banned them. That's forcing consumers to switch to more environmentally friendly options to carry their groceries. But not everyone is happy about the move, and some supermarkets are trying to combat instances of 'bag rage'. Greg Navarro explains.

Spend some time around some of Australia's supermarkets and you'll see signs of a shift.

"I've watched David Attenborough, I'm on board, all good."

In the way people take their groceries home.

"I mean I don't mind as long as it does save the environment."

Most states and territories here have banned retailers from handing out single-use plastic bags to reduce waste and the impact on the environment.

Jayne Paramor is the deputy director of environmental group Boomerang Alliance.

JAYNE PARAMOR DEPUTY DIRECTOR, BOOMERANG ALLIANCE "We are talking in the magnitude of billions if we are looking on a global level - the numbers are enormous and you see it every day when you are wandering around the streets - bags floating on the footpath and in parks, stuck in trees and all over the place like that - I'm not sure we can even quantify the number given that we don't even know the number being handed out by retailers."

While most people are coping, some are not.

The union that represents shop assistants says some workers have suffered verbal abuse by angry customers. One employee was reportedly grabbed by the throat. That's prompted the union to create an ad campaign to help protect its members.

GREG NAVARRO SYDNEY "While all of this seems like a good thing for supermarkets here in Australia, especially in New South Wales where they have voluntarily gotten rid of those single-use plastic bags, we wanted to know what they thought about it, we reached out to a lot of them, and one thing remained constant with all of the replies - no one was willing to talk to us about it."

Jayne Paramor is not surprised.

JAYNE PARAMOR DEPUTY DIRECTOR, BOOMERANG ALLIANCE "The supermarkets were going to be legislated into doing this at the end of the day - the fact that they have used it as a PR exercise to improve their own sustainability credentials is a bit of a greenwash in many ways."

The concept of taking a more environmentally responsible approach to shopping here isn't new - this song was written in 2005.

The difference today is that most Australian consumers no longer have a choice.

"I'm hanging my bag on the door step so every time I am going out my room it reminds me that maybe I need it and maybe I have to take it with me."

JAYNE PARAMOR DEPUTY DIRECTOR, BOOMERANG ALLIANCE "I think those countries that are fearful of going down this path should not be that fearful - ultimately people are pretty responsible, people love their environment."

And Paramor says, people are keen to protect it. Greg Navarro, CGTN, Sydney.