POLLUTION: Shops warn against tax

A NEW tax on throwaway plastics could push up prices in the shops, retailers have warned.

Philip Hammond is expected to raise the prospect of a levy on ‘single use’ items such as coffee cups and packaging in the Budget in an attempt to stem the tide of plastic junk poisoning our seas.

The move was welcomed by environmental groups. But the British Retail Consortium, a lobby group for major retailers, suggested the move could result in price rises on supermarket shelves. Spokesman Andrew Opie said: ‘Will it change behaviour or is it in effect just a tax on something people will still buy anyway, meaning they will just spend more money on it?’