Remember your bags – launch of carrier bag charge campaign

In less than two months’ time Wales becomes the first UK country to introduce a charge for single use carrier bags. Today sees the launch of a campaign to ensure everyone is ready for the charge.

Posters are being displayed at train stations and inside buses across Wales. At the end of the month buses will also have adverts on their sides. The campaign will run until the five pence minimum charge for a single-use carrier bag is introduced on Saturday 1st October.

Environment and Sustainable Development Minister, John Griffiths, said: “Here in Wales the imminent introduction of our carrier bag charge is ensuring that people are thinking, and talking, about the problem of carrier bags. Just last week, figures were published showing that the people of Wales had reduced their carrier bag use by 7% over the last year. “There’s no doubt that we still have a long way to go in reducing carrier bag use in Wales, as figures show that last year 329 million bags were given out by the major supermarkets alone. But I am confident that the charge will help us drive down carrier bag use and I hope next year’s figures will show another reduction.

“Whilst I know that reducing our use of single use carrier bags is not going to solve all our environmental problems the charge delivers an important message about the need for us to live much more sustainable lives.” The money raised by the charge will not be coming to government but will be passed on to good causes, particularly those benefiting the environment, by retailers. As a result of the charge, the Government expects to see a 90% reduction in the number of bags distributed in Wales, and for retailers to pass on up to £3 million to environmental and other projects. The Minister added:

“The idea of the charge is not to make people pay for carrier bags. Rather it is to encourage shoppers to make use of the bags they already have.

“No one has to pay the charge; we can avoid it by simply remembering to carry bags with us when we do our shopping.”