Shopping Bags

I got this burlap Beatles shopping bag from a dear friend in Liverpool some years ago.  I drag it around everywhere with me like a security blanket.  I LOVE THIS BAG!!!  I always get comments from cashiers and others standing line on how cool it is. 

I was using recyclable bags long before it was mandatory here in California.  I always thought that plastic bags were wasteful and harmful to the environment.  Question:  Why are plastic shopping bags banned, but plastic bags are still available and used in the produce section, meat section, and around newspapers?  What about all the packaging around consumer products?  Certainly we can do better.