Supermarkets to reduce bags by half
Seven UK supermarket chains are involved in a Government agreement with the British Retail Consortium (BRC) to impose a 50% cut in the number of carrier bags given out by spring next year – increasing to a 70% reduction long term.
BRC director general Stephen Robertson said: "Together with other environmental initiatives, supermarkets are meeting their existing commitment to reduce the environmental impact of bags by 25%. They’re now volunteering an ambitious new target to help customers halve bag use by next spring."
Marks & Spencer, Somerfield, Asda, Waitrose, The Co-operative, Sainsbury’s and Tesco and will cut their provision of single-use plastic and paper carriers by half compared with 2006 levels.
The proposed 13-billion bags saved could fill 60 Olympic-sized swimming pools or the Royal Albert Hall one-and-a-half times, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) said.
Environment Minister Jane Kennedy said the move was "a bold commitment" which would result in around five billion fewer bags being handed out.
Liz Goodwin, the chief executive of Wrap (Waste and Resources Action Programme), said: "The word from stores is that many more of us are re-using our bags. That is something we are working to encourage and Wrap will be playing its full part in this initiative."
Copyright © Press Association 2008
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