Number of plastic bags used by British shoppers has increased

The number of plastic bags used by British shoppers increased by 5.4 per cent in 2011 from 2010 figures, according to statistics released by WRAP today (5 July).

Rising for the second year in a row, the WRAP figures found that though overall bag use in 2011 was 5.4 per cent higher than the year before, plastic bag use was still 32 per cent lower than the baseline year of 2006 and markedly lower in Wales, where plastic bag usage fell 22 per cent, due to the 5p plastic bag charge in place since October 2011.

Elsewhere in the UK, plastic bag usage in 2011 either remained steady or rose, with England reportedly seeing a 7.5 per cent increase in bag usage, Northern Ireland, a 8.1 per cent rise and Scotland remaining largely unchanged over the same period.

The British Retail Consortium (BRC) attributed the rising figures to changing shopping habits due to the continuing economic downturn. Families are increasingly shop for fewer groceries, more frequently and are making more trips via public transport, meaning that they are less likely to carry reusable bags.

The BRC also stressed that though plastic bag pollution is less prevalent than it was six years ago (plastic bags now account for less than one per cent of household waste), if governments wanted to reduce it further, more was needed to be done: “The majority of shoppers do their best to reuse bags and take as few new bags as possible. However, shopping trends are changing and it’s clear many customers appreciate the bags they’re offered”, said Bob Gordon, the Head of the BRC.

“It’s no surprise the use of a bag charge in Wales has reduced the number of bags taken by consumers there. If other governments see reducing the use of carrier bags as a priority, they will have to take a lead and go beyond voluntary measures. Any legislation should be as similar as possible to what’s in place in Wales and we are already working with other governments as they develop their plans.”

Research conducted by Cardiff University, published yesterday (4 July) indicated that the 5p plastic bag charge is now supported by seven out of 10 people in Wales and has seen distribution of single-use carrier bags in some retail sectors reduce by up to 96 per cent.

Wales’s Environment Minister, John Griffiths, welcomed the results, saying: “These results show that the way to significantly reduce the use of single-use carrier bags is for governments to introduce a charge to customers for them”, adding that the Welsh public have adjusted “brilliantly” to the charge.

The minister went on to cite the benefits of the charge, that included seeing less pollution, less waste going to landfill and “less unnecessary use of resources to manufacture single-use bags”, as well donating money from the bag charge to charities.

Further information on plastic bag use in the UK can be found on the WRAP website and Cardiff University’s report can be found on the Welsh Government website.