Kamala Harris dubbed a 'hypocrite' after ex-VP was spotted carrying plastic bags on shopping trip

WESTWOOD, CALIFORNIA: Kamala Harris recently found herself at the receiving end of the internet’s heat after she was spotted carrying bags - which the internet alleged were made of plastic - during a recent shopping trip. 

Fans were left furious as the former Vice President and her husband Doug Emhoff emerged from the 99 Ranch Market Asian Grocery store in Westwood, California on Thursday, January 23, carrying plastic shopping bags. 

The 60-year-old Harris was soon called a “hypocrite” by a section of social media users, who did not wait to remind the politician of her plastic ban campaign in 2019.

Kamala Harris was seen with her husband during a shopping errand

The recent outing of Kamala Harris with her husband came after she and former president Joe Biden handed over the presidential duties to current President Donald Trump and VP JD Vance. 

While it is not known what type of plastic bags the VP was using, it came as a surprise to social media users as Harris has made a name for herself by being a vocal advocate against plastic. 

During her first unsuccessful presidential campaign in 2019, Harris advocated for the ban on the use of plastic straws. She first spoke against the use of plastic during an event on climate change with CNN in September 2019.

When she was asked about the possibility of banning plastic use, the Democrat replied, “I think we should, yes,” as reported by Daily Mail. 

She nevertheless admitted that it was “difficult” to drink out of a paper straw, suggesting, “We gotta kind of perfect that one a little bit more.”

However, by 2024, Harris retracted her stance on plastic and has since then dropped the suggested ban. 

While the politician received heat for using plastic bags online, some users also suggested that the bags were probably reusable and eco-friendly as California has banned the use of single-use plastic bags. 

Harris and Emhoff’s shopping trip also came amid the speculations of a marital strain between the couple following her election defeat and Donald Trump’s return to the White House, with insiders claiming she blamed her husband's "dead weight" scandals for the loss. 

Social media users not happy with Kamala Harris' choice of bags during shopping trip

The majority of the netizens were left fuming after seeing the former VP carrying groceries in plastic bags. Several users even called her a "hypocrite" for using plastic bags while she had campaigned against the same before. 

One of the social media users said, "WTF? Is that #Kamala toting a #plastic bag of groceries??? What an out-of-touch HYPOCRITE with zero self-awareness!"

Someone else added, "Who is that I see? Kamala Harris and Dougie carrying plastic bags after grocery store. Pitiful hypocrites."

"How dare Kamala Harris use plastic grocery bags. I'm shaking rn 😱," noted another displeased user. 

Someone else noted obliquely, "That’s in Westwood. Plastic is probably ok for the rich, it’s just the peasants who are relegated to paper."

"It's like she didn't mean anything that she said...," mused another user. 

Someone else declared, "She's a hypocrite."

"It's just absolutely scandalous Kamala Harris goes shopping and walks out with disposable plastic bags," added a social media user. 

Another netizen lashed out at her, "And carrying out their groceries in plastic bags! Liberal hypocrites."

However, everyone else was of not the same opinion, as another netizen clarified the terms of plastic use in California, saying, "Quick clarification with the plastic bags. Here in California, they decided to allow grocery stores to distribute these thicker, reusable plastic bags. So, that’s what they’re using, rather than the thin plastic bags you get in most other states."

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.