It took us a while but just as most of us got the hang of remembering to take our reusable bags to the store, along came the pandemic. You should probably put them back in your car if you haven’t already.
Local stores still won’t allow you to place your reusable bags on their counters or let their employees touch them. However, many stores have created a space where customers who want to can bag their own groceries after paying for them. You may even notice people loading their purchases into their reusable bags at the car.
Most stores have resumed charging a fee for providing paper or plastic bags. Processes are constantly evolving so when in doubt just ask the checker wherever you do your essential shopping.