Yes they are so perhaps that was a strawman, if you will. I could equally have made the point with "sustainable" versions of inherently unsustainable products or any manner of surface-level "environment-friendly" change.
If it was really about that, you'd think they'd force starbucks to sell you a cold drink in a paper cup instead of what is basically a giant straw you can't locally recycle anyhow.
You're thinking of plastic bag bans.
Bags blow in the wind and wind up all sorts of places.