Morrisons bringing in 20p paper bags in war on plastic
PAPER carrier bags are being introduced in Morrisons supermarkets as part of the drive to cut down on throwaway plastic.
The reusable bags – 20p each – will be available in all stores by next month following a successful trial.
The supermarket hopes the move will save an estimated 1,300 tons of plastic a year – based on customer uptake during an eight-week trial across eight stores.
Welsh stores will be the first to offer paper bags next week, followed by English and Scottish outlets in May.
Some have questioned whether paper bags are any better for the environment than plastic bags due to the harmful carbon emissions they release when they rot, and because a lot of water is used during the manufacturing process.
However, Morrisons said the paper bags are both reusable and recyclable and have a carbon footprint equivalent to the standard plastic versions, which also now cost 20p. The paper is made from sustainably managed forests and the bags are strong enough to carry groceries weighing up to 35lb (16kg). The move by Morrisons is part of a wider effort from supermarkets to dramatically cut back on the use of throwaway plastic packaging, which has been championed by the Daily Mail’s Turn the Tide on Plastic campaign.
This year, more than half a million volunteers have also signed up for the Great British Spring Clean – which is organised by Keep Britain Tidy and backed by the Mail. It runs until April 23.
Andy Atkinson, of Morrisons, said: ‘We are taking another meaningful step that will remove an estimated 1,300 tons of plastic out of the environment each year. Our customers have told us that reducing plastic is their number one environmental concern, so introducing the paper bag across the nation will provide another way of reducing the plastic in their lives.’
Morrisons removed 5p single-use plastic carrier bags early in 2018 which led to a 25 per cent reduction in overall bag sales.
The 5p plastic bag levy was introduced in England in October 2015 and all large retailers have been required to introduce the charge. Government figures at the end of 2018 showed that nearly two billion 5p plastic bags were sold in the last financial year.
This is a stark reduction from 2014, when 7.6billion carrier bags – the equivalent of 140 per person – were handed out solely by England’s seven largest supermarkets.
The Welsh island of Anglesey has become the first UK county to be crowned ‘plastic-free’. It was given the title by environmental group Surfers Against Sewage after an 18-month campaign which saw businesses ditch disposable coffee cups and bottles and schools pledge to cut plastic waste.