Store to ditch plastic bags in bid to reduce its impact on environment

THE flagship John Lewis in Cheltenham is set to stop selling plastic bags.

It’s a move designed to cut down on single-use plastic and motivate people to bring their own reusable ones.

Located at 123 High Street in the town, the ban on selling plastic bags will start on May 21 for 12 weeks as part of a trial.

Customers will be encouraged to bring their own bags, but if they don’t have one they will be able to buy a reusable bag made from 100 per cent recycled materials.

Signage is going up to give customers notice of the 12-week trial. The signs will read: “Help us reduce plastic wastage by bringing one of your own bags or buying one of our reusable options”.

It’s estimated that the shop currently uses around 2.8 tonnes of plastic bags per year. The reusable bags will cost 50p for a medium sized bag and 75p for a large bag. Martin Bundy, partner and branch manager at John Lewis Cheltenham, said: “Everyone’s so aware now that we all need to make radical changes to reduce our impact on the planet and we’re becoming much more used to taking our own bags when we go shopping.

“I think our customers will be really supportive of this trial. I’ll be talking to them to get their feedback.” The retailer’s Oxford shop is already plastic bag free. The trial there was so successful they have made the change permanently. It is part of the retailer’s plan to reduce the amount of plastic it produces and recycles - 92 per cent of all John Lewis’s own-brand primary packaging is reported to be widely recyclable or reusable.