Shoppers will soon have to pay a minimum of 10p for a carrier bag from any shop as the Government confirms the charge for a single-use plastic bag is doubling from 21st May 2021.
Under the current environmentally-friendly policy, only retailers with more than 250 employees have had to charge customers for a carrier bag, with the charge being set at 5p. However, the Government is now forcing all retailers to apply a charge of 10p, no matter how big or small the business may be.
It’s been 6 years since the 5p carrier bag charge was first introduced, with many shoppers now favouring reusable carriers and ‘bags for life’. Many supermarkets have already phased out the 5p bags in favour of the stronger 10p alternatives.
Environment Minister Rebecca Pow has said:
The introduction of the 5p charge has been a phenomenal success, driving down sales of harmful plastic bags in supermarkets by a remarkable 95%.
We know we must go further to protect our natural environment and oceans, which is why we are now extending this charge to all businesses.
Over the next couple of weeks I urge all retailers of all sizes to make sure they are ready for the changes, as we work together to build back greener and strengthen our world-leading action to combat the scourge of plastic waste.
The new charge comes into force next Friday (21st May).
Tesco are already charging 20p for a normal bag
This is all very good, but a friend of a friend gets two Iceland home deliverys per week,mainly Pepsi Max and other heavy stuff,and the amount of good quality carrier bags adds up to about 20 on average,they can’t charge him for them as they only put one bottle in one bag(health and safety?) So this chap ends up filling his recycling bin up, by up to 40 good bags every fortnight,at least that could use the cheaper single use variaty he could at least uterlise for picking up after his dog, just think of all the Waist Iceland are creating,
While I’m in favour of the levy because anything that’s free will always be subject to being wasted, like once shoppers would use a one free bag per item, let’s not forget the environmental catastrophe the pandemic has caused – disposable just about everything – plastic bags are an absolute drop in the ocean in comparison.
As usual, it is a half hearted approach nationally. We need to see legislation in place that forces all manufacturers of products required to actively reduce the amount of packaging they create in the first place
e.g
crisp bags – you never get a full bag, it is always full of air – they could easily reduce the size of each packet by a third and still have the same amount of crisps in them – immediately a one third drop in the packaging waste
fruit – no need for plastic wrapping – fruit comes in its own packaging.
multipacks – no need for the wrapper – just offer x many items at a discounted price.
so much more if you look around.
I don’t know why they are messing about, just ban single use carrier bags and charge £5 or even £10 for the bags for life. Problem solved in an instant. There really is no reason why people going shopping can’t take a bag with them or are we really that lazy.
During the war everyone used to carry a string bag around with them, in handbag or pocket, which took up very little space and was always on hand.
I have a shopping trolley. Simples. A mate at work, in his 30’s, was laughing till he was given one. Will now not shut up about how good it is.
Mine doubles for shopping and transporting my musical instruments.