"Bag" tax coming to a store near you soon??

[mc_squared]

Shoppers could face 10p tax on plastic bags

 

Last updated at 10:47am on 13th July 2007 Comments (8)

New laws seek to phase out plastic bags

 

Londoners will have to pay 10p for every plastic bag under a new law proposed for the capital which may go nationwide if passed. The charge, aimed at curbing the amount of waste sent to landfill sites, could eventually lead to an outright ban on carrier bags.

London's 33 boroughs will include the measure in a new London Local Authorities Bill to be put before MPs in November.

Alternative: Anya Hindmarch (right) and her carrier

 

Simply reducing the number of bags used in the UK by a quarter will eliminate 58,500 tonnes of carbon dioxide a year - the equivalent to taking 18,000 cars off the roads.

Merrick Cockell, Tory leader of the London Councils organisation, said: "The Bill will highlight our ambition to provide leadership on environmental issues.

"The proposal for a plastic bag levy underlines our commitment to addressing these concerns. We hope Londoners will join with us in commending these proposals to Parliament to create a greener, safer city."

The charge would apply across the whole of London with the money recouped from the supermarkets used by councils to pay for recycling facilities. It follows a surcharge imposed in Ireland and proposals for a similar ban in other cities including San Francisco.

Ireland put a 15 cent tax on plastic bags in 2002 and cut their use by 90 per cent within months while raising millions of euros for environmental projects and cutting litter. It rose to 22 cents earlier this year. The average number of bags per shopper dropped from 328 to 21 a year.

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In London, the 33 boroughs admit to potential difficulties in obtaining a ban but want to use the bid as a way of pressing the Government for action.

Around 13 billion bags are used every year in the UK and retailers have pledged to reduce the environmental damage they cause.

The Local Government Association estimates that UK councils could face a £3billion bill for sending rubbish to landfill sites over the next four years. In 2010 councils face fines of up to £150 for every tonne of rubbish that is landfilled above a set limit.

The idea of a bag tax - which builds on moves towards using long-lasting bags or cotton holdalls such as the "I'm not a plastic bag" by designer Anya Hindmarch - brought a mixed reaction in an Evening Standard straw poll of shoppers.

Sebastian Hughes, 38, an event manager, said: "If the money is clearly going towards recycling - directly towards that cause - then I would be happy to pay it. It certainly wouldn't necessarily encourage me to bring my own. I'd rather give to the green cause."

Monika Urbinowicz, 26, a nanny, said: "I think it's a bad idea and I suppose I would end up bringing my own bags for a big shop.

"It is OK to charge 10p if you only have one bag for your lunch or something, but if you have to do a big shop then it would be unfair. I have to buy lots of things and so would not be happy."

A Tesco spokesman said: "The carrot is far better than the stick. We have been giving incentives in the form of Clubcard points for customers who bring their own bags. Since that started in August we have given out 600 million fewer carrier bags."

A Waitrose spokeswoman said: "We believe that a collaborative approach between Government and retailers is necessary to change consumer habits. This is why we have signed a voluntary agreement to reduce the environmental impact of carrier bags by 25 per cent by the end of 2008."

[Black Rose]

And this is news?

 

The local supermarket (Lidl) has been charging 3p for a carrier bag since they started. Tescos makes more money by getting people to re-use carrier bags.

[Jenjie]

kwik save always used to charge 10p a bag and that was over 10 years ago

[mc_squared]

kwik save always used to charge 10p a bag and that was over 10 years ago

 

Perhaps that's why they're not around any more!!:rolleyes:

 

So where have you been hiding?:stunned:

[grids]

Indo's life without a tax.. :P

[Black Rose]

Death & Taxes, the only 2 things you can be certain off in life.

[Jenjie]

Perhaps that's why they're not around any more!!:rolleyes:

 

So where have you been hiding?:stunned:

 

 

they did it because it saved them costs. not so many people took bags so saved them a fortune in buying the things, and i would guess that buying carrier bags in bulk would cost you less than 10p a bag so they would also be making a profit on them.

 

 

I've been hiding out at work. can't come on here during the day/week as too many peeps wandering around. weekends are a different matter though

[mc_squared]

Death & Taxes, the only 2 things you can be certain off in life.

 

Isn't it weird, then, that Texas is an anagram of taxes, and there they have the death penalty............................... :rolleyes:

[mc_squared]

they did it because it saved them costs. not so many people took bags so saved them a fortune in buying the things, and i would guess that buying carrier bags in bulk would cost you less than 10p a bag so they would also be making a profit on them.

 

 

I've been hiding out at work. can't come on here during the day/week as too many peeps wandering around. weekends are a different matter though

 

So when the cats are away........................ :rolleyes:

[Black Rose]

they did it because it saved them costs. not so many people took bags so saved them a fortune in buying the things, and i would guess that buying carrier bags in bulk would cost you less than 10p a bag so they would also be making a profit on them.

 

I've been hiding out at work. can't come on here during the day/week as too many peeps wandering around. weekends are a different matter though

 

The raw cost of carrier bags is about 0.75p when you buy in bulk.