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Jakarta Governor Fauzi Bowo’s ambitious plan to wean the capital’s residents off their environmentally disastrous addiction to plastic bags by next year has found favor among some supermarket operators and consumers.

Irawan D Kadarman, director of corporate affairs for PT Carrefour Indonesia, told the Jakarta Globe that the supermarket giant would abide by any local bylaws.

“Carrefour is willing to educate consumers about not using plastic bags, along with the promotion of the city’s regulations,” he said.

Irawan, who could not say how many plastic bags the company used each day, added that any such program would need to be implemented gradually because “not all consumers can easily accept the concept.”

Many Jakartans insist on using plastic bags for purchases of just one or two items, as well as for wrapping takeaway food or even as drink containers.

Irawan said Carrefour offered eco-friendly plastic bags that sold for Rp 2,000 (21 cents) and reusable fabric bags for Rp 10,000, as well as the normal, free plastic bags and cardboard boxes.

Djangga Lubis, president director of PD Pasar Jaya, which runs the city’s markets, previously said he supported the initiative because it was good for the environment.

“But we also need to offer a solution, not just forbid the use of plastic bags. All stakeholders should help promote the idea and find a replacement solution for plastic bags.”

Tulus Abadi, chairman of the Indonesian Consumer Protection Foundation, said he fully supported the initiative.

“Plastic bags are not environmentally friendly,” he said. “Getting people to change their habits should be very easy because people nowadays have become more aware of the importance of environmentally friendly products.”

He added that he thought the change should be done gradually.

However, Iko Putera, a consultant who lives in Jakarta, was a bit more skeptical.

“Changing people’s habits is not that easy. Look at the messy public transportation, and how so many people still litter. It might be possible to enforce the program in some areas, such as malls, but to change the larger community will be a challenge,” Iko said. “Changing [the habits of] 9 million people in one year is not easy.”