"John Willis" wrote
The plastic strips are ONLY there to prevent the shingles from
sticking together while packaged. There is no other reason for them
and they serve no other purpose whatsoever.

I think you know better than this John. If the OP felt compelled to remove
the strips, then stack them back up. They would still stick together while
out of the package.

Can you imagine going to a job, to find out a HomeOwner did this? Would you
be livid or what?