Walmart customers fume over new automatic surcharge which they have branded a 'tax' on shoppers -

A NEW automatic surcharge has been issued, and some Walmart customers claim it is a tax on shoppers.

The fee is placed with supposed good intentions, as several states want to encourage customers at retailers around the country to recycle and protect the environment.

Costing around five to 10 cents, the surcharge is reportedly added to the purchase of bottled drinks, specifically those in plastic packaging, per Kitchn.

However, the effort to reduce plastic pollution also offers customers a chance to get their money back.

If Walmart shoppers who purchase bottled drinks later return any empties to a location, they can be reimbursed.

The company's decision to assess the fee comes as 10 state governments have placed a container deposit law, or so-called bottle bill, on drinks to reduce beverage waste.

Some states maintain the idea that the refundable automatic surcharge will incentivize customers not to dispose of their bottled waste improperly.

The law affects purchases of soft drinks, malt beverages, and spirits at retailers.

Massachusetts, Michigan, New York, Oregon, Vermont, California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Iowa, and Maine all have fees enacted.

Vermont specifically intends to expand its bill to include bottled water, sports drinks, and other juices, Kitchn reported.

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Talks of wine bottles getting a 15-cent surcharge have also begun, although they currently do not have a fee in any of the 10 states or at Walmart.

Also, new changes to this would go into effect starting in 2027.

Other drinks, such as non-alcoholic cider, milk, meal replacement drinks, baby formula, and other miscellaneous products, may also be exempt from automatic surcharges.

Either way, Walmart shoppers should remain vigilant about their state's decisions on bottle bill rules.

The retailer will have to make adaptations to any changes, but customers can still expect at least five to 10-cent surcharges on nearly all bottled beverages in qualifying states.

Many customers have viewed the fee as a "tax on the working class" rather than a beneficial attempt to protect planet Earth, per Kitchn.

The U.S. Sun has contacted Walmart for an official comment on the fee.

It's not the only automatic surcharge implemented at Walmart recently, either.

As The U.S. Sun previously reported, the retailer added fees to its bakery section last month, specifically to its famed sheet cakes.

Various types of cake, coloring, design elements, and icing all incur the same costs, but a sneaky surcharge appears for filling.

Customers have to pay an extra $3 if they want more flavor in the middle.

It's unclear exactly why this is the case, but it's possible that the high demand for the sheet cakes at this point in the year may have caused the additional fee.

Spring and summer are often when several celebrations arise for families around the US, including weddings, Mother's and Father's Day, college graduations, and more.

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