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Shops must reduce bag use
Katharine Barney, Evening Standard26 Nov 2008
RETAILERS will be told to cut the use of plastic bags or face legislation to make shoppers pay for them.
The move was unveiled by Environment minister Jane Kennedy in return for London boroughs dropping a bill that would have introduced a charge across the city for the bags.
The organisation withdrew the Bill after the Government pledged that it would impose the charge if shops do not make a significant cut in the number of bags they give out.
If retailers fail to comply, the minimum charge will be imposed across England and Wales, rather than just London.
The pledge was made in a letter to London Councils chairman Merrick Cockell, in which the minister praised the organisation for shaping the bag debate.
The minister also said London Councils' lobbying had highlighted "the depth of public and political support" for action.
"We have today decided to withdraw the London Shopping Bags Bill, having accepted that the Government's amendments to the Climate Change Bill could bring about our desired reduction in the number of single use shopping bags given out," Mr Cockell said.
"The Government must never forget the depth of public feeling on this issue. We will continue to hold them to account."
Some stores have already begun charging for plastic bags. Marks and Spencer charges 5p, while Sainsbury's gives shoppers 1p per bag if they use their own bags.
Reader views (11)
Earlier this year M&S started charging for bags. I, along with countless others, stopped using M&S. They recently announced a 34% drop in profits. That sent them a message!
I will shop wherever I get free bags. I will then use then as waste bin liners at home.
- Martin H Watson, Teddington, 27/11/2008 09:01
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I don't see anything wrong with this at all. It is not difficult or expensive to buy sturdy re-usable bags. I think I paid 69p each for some fold up ones at Morrisons.
If you go to most supermarkets in France you have to take your own bags because they don't have them available, not even to buy.
- Bb, S.E London, 27/11/2008 08:51
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Don't be so selfish and ignorant Dean - you may be too simple to care about environmental pollution and the catastrophic climate change facing our world, but I bet you'll be the first to squeal when your drinking water becomes contaminated and the air you breath so deadly you can't breathe. Give the politicians some credit for at least moving in the right direction, albeit too little too late.
- Thomas, London, 27/11/2008 05:53
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Here locally one of the major market chains sells their logo printed "re-usable" shopping bags. They do not last very long, maybe 6 or 8 trips, then the fused/glued seems come apart, the materials begin to wear through. These bags are made out of - plastic. There is likely far more plastic going to the dump NOW as we all throw out these limited-use bags, than before with the much thinner 'disposable' ones.
- Trunk, US, 27/11/2008 04:00
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There are now more polar bears than ever before, along with increasing ice cover in the supposedly warming polar region. Enough green guff. It is time that we realised the world is more likely to die from poverty and hunger than from global warming. In the context of the economic implosion hitting our country, concern about plastic bags is, frankly, ludicrous.
- Helene Davidson, London, 26/11/2008 18:22
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Why is this such a big issue? Just bring in a mandatory 5p/bag charge (with the shop free to choose to keep the 5p or to donate it to charity). This isn't enough to make a difference to anyone who actualy needs a bag, but will definitely result in most shoppers recycling old bags rather than paying for new ones!
At present some shops INSIST on you having one of their bags "for security" even if you have got your own bag!
- Nigel, London, 26/11/2008 17:01
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Climate change?Does anyone really care about the plight of the polar bear or the state of the world in the future?
I for one hope it explodes within the next twenty years.
- Eddie, London, 26/11/2008 14:53
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Good way for the supermarkets to get more money from us. Are we going to get charged a trolley congestion charge next? Havent these idiot ministers got anything better to do?
- Dean, London, 26/11/2008 14:49
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Shops like M&S get round charging for plastic bags by regularly giving away plastic 'bags for life' which seems to defeat the point of charging in the first place. Even planet organic uses plastic bags - I really would have thought they would have had paper carrier bags made!
- Andy, London, 26/11/2008 11:24
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I already recycle carrier bags have been doing so for years. I own two ex racing greyhounds and they produce plenty. Thus carrier bags are very useful. Now I'll have to buy bags...with money! Pesky green meddlers!
- Rusty Shackleford, uk, 26/11/2008 10:54
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What is or was wrong with the brown paper bag ?
- Peter Haldane, London, 26/11/2008 09:56
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