The 5p levy introduced last year has driven an 85% drop in the use of carrier bags in England, latest figures show.
Figures published last week show that in the first six months since the charge was introduced, England used 500m carrier bags, falling from 7bn in the previous year. Defra was targeting an 80% drop as a result of the charge and these latest figures have been hailed as “fantastic news for all of us”, by newly appointed Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Thérèse Coffey.
This positive impact of the 5p levy follows similar success seen in Wales and Scotland when they introduced this fee in 2011 and 2014 respectively. The aim of the levy was to reduce the 65,000 tonnes of plastic bags which end up in our landfill each year, decrease litter, save millions in clean-up costs and protect wildlife. The 5p charge has also resulted in nearly £30m of donations from retailers to charities, community groups and local initiatives.
Consumer habits are shifting
Retailers only need to comply with the charge if they have 250 or more full-time employees. This is to reduce the administrative burden on small and medium sized businesses, however they can charge on a voluntary basis if they so wish. More information can be found here.
Following early criticism from some members of the public and media outlets, it is clear to see the direct impact the levy has had on the overall use of single-use carrier bags in England, and the rest of the UK in fact. Consumer habit is now shifting towards bag-for-life options or keeping hold of used bags when people return for their weekly shop, all of which were ultimately the outcome the charge was looking to achieve.
ecosurety has a vast amount of experience in helping companies comply with environmental legislation. If you need any advice or want to know more just get in touch by emailing packaging@ecosurety.com or calling 0845 094 2228.
Robbie Staniforth
Innovation and policy director
Robbie is innovation and policy director at Ecosurety. Having spent years building an intimate understanding of the industry’s policies and politics, he uses this knowledge to help shape new legislation and oversees Ecosurety’s growing portfolio of cross-industry innovation projects including Podback and the Flexible Plastic Fund. He has worked closely with Defra during the most recent packaging consultations, outlining the impacts and required transitional arrangements of the UK’s new EPR system and is a member of the government’s Advisory Committee on Packaging (ACP). He is also a spokesperson for the company and regularly uses his influence to communicate the importance of environmental responsibility to external stakeholders.
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