Type 1 Exemption – Exemption for Non-specified Goods

What is Type 1 Exemption?

This exemption is applicable to a retail outlet in which more than half of its retail area is offering non-specified goods i.e. goods other than food or drink; medicine or first-aid item; and personal hygiene or beauty product.  Under this exemption arrangement, plastic shopping bags may be provided to customers who purchase non-specified goods in that area and the number of bags so provided is not more than necessary for carrying those goods.  The exemption is conducted by means of a dedicated cashier’s counter (or called “exempted cashier’s counter”) in which only non-specified goods can be checked out.

What are the criteria for Type 1 Exemption?

Registered retailers may apply for exemption of part of the area of a registered retail outlet. To be eligible for Type 1 exemption, the retail outlet must fulfill the following criteria:

	i) the area offering non-specified goods is more than 50% of the retail floor area of the whole outlet; and ii) each part of the area to be exempted is a cashier's counter that accepts payment for non-specified goods only.

Example of Type 1 Exemption

	The fashion section of a department store:     (1) A customer purchases a shirt (non-specified goods) from the exempted area. Photo (1) - The fashion section within an exempted area         (2) The customer checks out at the nearby exempted cashier's counter, and plastic shopping bags may be provided to the customer for free. Photo (2) - An exempted cashier's counter         Photo (3) – “Exempted counter” sticker placed at the cashier's counter   An "exempted counter" sticker