-
Decrease of more than 98% in the number of bags sold by the
main retailers since 2014
-
More than £206 million donated to good causes from the
proceeds since the charge was introduced
-
406 million single-use plastic bags sold in 2022/23, down
from 2.12 billion in 2016/17
More than 7 billion harmful plastic bags have been prevented from
blighting our streets and countryside thanks to the single-use
carrier bag charge, new figures announced by
Environment Minister today (31 July)
show.
A 5p charge was first introduced in supermarkets in 2015. Since
then, usage at the main retailers – Asda, Marks and Spencer,
Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, The Co-operative Group, Tesco and
Waitrose – has dropped by more than 98%.
The average person in England now buys just two single-use
carrier bags a year from these businesses, compared with around
140 in 2014 before the charge was introduced.
The number of single-use carrier bags reported as sold by the
main retailers was 133 million in 2022/23, down from 197 million
in 2021/2022, representing a reduction of 33%. This is a huge
drop from the 7.6 billion used in 2014.
In 2021, the charge was increased to 10p and extended to all
businesses. This has helped bring the number of
bags used down by more than 35% from 627 million in 2019/20 to
406 million in 2022/23.
Meanwhile, retailers have voluntarily donated more than £206
million from the proceeds to good causes in education, arts,
heritage, sports, environment, health and charity or volunteering
sectors since the charge’s introduction.
Environment Minister said:
“Our charge has helped to stop billions of single-use carrier
bags littering our neighbourhoods or heading to landfill while
ensuring millions of pounds go to good causes.
“We are determined to do more to tackle plastic pollution at
source, with further bans on single-use products starting in
October and our deposit return scheme will cut litter and drive
up recycling rates. We continue to encourage all relevant
retailers to play their part in further reducing the use of
single-use carrier bags.”
Andrew Opie, Director of Food & Sustainability at the
British Retail Consortium, said:
“Retailers have worked closely with Government over the
single-use bag charges to ensure it has been an industry-wide
success – with 98% fewer bags used across the biggest grocery
retailers. It has also generated millions in funds that retailers
have donated to a variety of good causes.”
The success of the carrier bag charge builds on the government’s
action to turn the tide on plastic waste. In 2018 the government
announced one of the world’s toughest bans on microbeads in
rinse-off personal care products and in 2020 we introduced
restrictions on the supply of single-use plastic straws, drink
stirrers and cotton buds.
The government also introduced a tax of more than £200 per tonne
on plastic packaging manufactured in or imported into the UK that
does not contain at least 30% recycled plastic in April
2022.
Through the Environment Act, the government is bringing in
further measures to tackle plastic pollution and litter. This
includes introducing a deposit return
scheme for drinks containers and plans
for simpler recycling collections for every household
and business in England.
A range of polluting
single-use plastics will be banned in England from 1 October
2023.
The restrictions will include
single-use plastic plates, trays, bowls, cutlery, balloon sticks
and certain types of polystyrene cups and food
containers.
Notes for
editors
Carrier bag
charges
- As of 21 May 2021, retailers of any size (large, medium,
small, micro and airport retailers) must charge a minimum of 10
pence for single-use carrier bags in England. You could be fined if you do not
charge.
- Only large retailers are required to record and report the
number of single-use carrier bags they sell in England. A large
retailer employs 250 or more full-time equivalent employees (in
total and not just in retail roles) in a year.
- You must charge if you:
- As a retailer you must charge for:
- non-reusable bags (single-use carrier bags)
- bags used for collections and deliveries
