Retail NZ joins call for levy

A retail organisation representing 4200 Kiwi businesses has joined the call for the Government to impose a plastic bag levy.

Retail NZ spokesman Greg Harford said the only feasible method of reducing plastic bag use and limiting the environmental impact was through legislation.

The association joins 90 per cent of New Zealand’s city and district mayors, who have signed an open letter calling on the Government to impose a bag levy, or step aside and let local government do so.

‘‘No retailer, particularly if you’re talking about the supermarkets, is going to want to be the first mover on it, because there’s likely to be a significant customer backlash,’’ Harford said.

‘‘If something is going to happen, it has to happen across the board, at the same time.’’

Retailers could not impose their own levy as that would constitute price-fixing, which is illegal under the Commerce Act.

Of Retail NZ’s 4200 members, the majority were in favour of a levy, Harford added. ‘‘We’ve had more feedback on this issue than we’ve had on almost anything else, to be honest with you, so there’s significant member interest.

‘‘There were no particular sectors saying it’s a bad idea ... We don’t know why the Government isn’t prepared to act on this.’’

Despite initially praising Britain’s plastic bag levy, Associate Environment Minister Scott Simpson began back-pedalling on the issue after Prime Minister Bill English rejected a New Zealand levy.

Simpson has since told media he would not endorse any ‘‘heavyhanded legislation’’.