Retailers in fresh pledge to tackle plastic bags

WRAP – the Waste and Resources Action Programme – announced that over 25 companies have agreed to encourage the reduction, re-use, recycling and recycled content of carrier bags.

Britain's largest supermarket chain, Tesco, is one of those backing the crackdown on carrier bags

This could lead to a saving of around 58,500 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions a year – and the equivalent of taking 18,000 cars off the road.

However, behind the scenes it is understood that not all supermarket chains are fully happy with the 25% target, while the Local Government Association said today that the agreement does not go far enough. It wants retailers to be more innovative – and for more to consider giving customers reusable fabric bags in particular.

Monitor
Under the agreement, retailers including supermarket giants Tesco, Asda and Sainsburys have agreed to work jointly with government and WRAP to monitor the environmental impact of their carrier bags.

Ben Bradshaw, local environment minister, said: “This is an ambitious but very practical agreement and we are pleased that the retailers have agreed to work with us and UK consumers in such a positive way.”

Supported by Environment ministers in England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland and the British Retail Consortium, the new agreement recognises that a number of retailers already addressing the issue of plastic bag waste.

It also gives retailers flexibility over how to meet their targets in line with their business requirements.

Nigel Smith, director of environmental policy at the British Retail Consortium, said:
“Retailers are already rewarding re-use, promoting &#39ba;gs for life', using and developing alternative materials and trialling bigger bags that carry more shopping. They want to take that further.”

He added: “Twenty-five per cent is an ambitious target for the industry as a whole. It will require the Government’s support in encouraging customers to reduce, re- use, recycle and take an improved approach to household waste management.”

LGA
However, Councillor Paul Bettison, chairman of the Local Government Association, stressed that local government were working hard to reduce the 13 billion plastic bags that are used in the UK every year and wanted to see bigger changes.

He said: “Today's pledge by retailers demonstrates that they recognise the adverse impact plastic carrier bags have on the environment. However, agreeing to reduce the environmental impact of plastic bags by a quarter in almost two years does not go far enough.”

The leader of Bracknell Forest council said that most peoples threw their bags straight into the bin once they had unpacked their shopping, leading to them going straight ot landfill.

He said: “We call on retailers to be more innovative in this area. Retailers should think of giving customers reusable fabric bags as some responsible businesses do already here and abroad.”

Review
Under the plastic bag agreement, each retailer signatory is now working with WRAP to identify a baseline figure against which the reduction in environmental impact can be measured.

WRAP will review the initiative by the end of 2008 in order to determine what would be required in order to make a further reduction by 2010.