We’ve all been there: despite best intentions, we end up at the grocery checkout without our reusable bags. After a moment of self-admonishment, we say “yes” to needing a plastic bag. It’s only a couple bags, right? No big deal.

Except that, around the world, over one million plastic bags are used every minute – most of which are used once before being discarded. To reduce the use of plastic, Vancouver organic grocer East West Market redesigned its bags with fictional company names that made its customers think twice before accepting plastic. If a person forgot to bring a reusable bag, they would be forced to take one that read “Dr. Toews’ Wart Ointment Wholesale,” “The Colon Care Co-op,” or “Into the Weird Adult Video Emporium.”

The bags of shame worked. During and after the campaign, created by Rethink, 96% of customers brought reusable bags instead of plastic.

The initiative was picked up by national publications like Huffington Post, The National Post, The Globe and Mail, and Daily Hive before quickly sparking a global conversation in international publications like the New York Times, People, and The Telegraph. The idea was even shared by celebrities like Kevin Bacon, Stephen Fry, Jessica Hische, and George Takei.

By adding a dose of embarassment to the traditional bag, East West Market helped people around the world think twice about taking home those little plastic sacks.