Last year this trend was reversed and the government’s Waste and Resources Action Programme (Wrap) reported an increase in plastic bag use to 6.8billion. This may be due to the pressures brought about by the recession, when people have far more to worry about than what they carry their shopping home in. It may also be due to people making more short trips to the shops and using new bags each time.
The Anti Plastic Bag campaign attracted lots of publicity when it was instigated in 2006 and was given an extra boost by large retailers such as Sainsburys who produced their own range of trendy cotton shopping bags. Sainsburys also removed the single use plastic bags from the end of the conveyors in the supermarkets, giving out bags only when people asked for them. This system seems to have slipped backwards, at least locally, where bags are handed out regardless.
The government seems to be reluctant to legislate against plastic bag production and use. The Irish government introduced a 10p charge for bags and reduced use by 95%. Plastic bags were banned in French supermarkets years ago and are not used in Belgium. In Wales shoppers will be charged 5p per bag from October this year and in Northern Ireland there is a consultation on the future use of plastic bags.
Please remember to take your bags with you when you go shopping and if you have to use a plastic bag, re-use it or recycle it
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