Environment minister Rory Stewart says carrier bag use may fall by 80 per cent in supermarkets and 50 per cent on the high street

A 5p charge for single-use plastic carrier bags in some shops in England has come into effect today, following a reduction of bags as a result of similar schemes in Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland. The government estimates that the charge will raise up to £730million for charities and non-profits over ten years.

5 October 2015 – Today (5 October) the 5p charge for single-use plastic carrier bags comes into effect in England.

The charge, which will apply for all retailers with 250 or more full-time employees, is expected to significantly reduce the number of plastic bags taken from shops. It follows the success of similar schemes in Scotland and Wales – in Wales the charge led to a 79 per cent decrease in plastic bags in three years.

In 2014, 7.64billion single use plastic bags were given out by major supermarkets in England.

Environment Minister Rory Stewart said: “The more bags we take from the shops, the more plastic makes its way into our environment, blighting our high streets, spoiling our enjoyment of the countryside, and damaging our wildlife and marine environments.

“Simple changes to our shopping routines, such as taking our own bags with us or using more bags for life, can make a huge difference in reducing the amount of plastic in circulation meaning we can all enjoy a cleaner, healthier country.

“Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have seen a dramatic fall in the number of plastic bags taken from supermarkets and we can expect a significant reduction in England, possibly by as much as 80 per cent in supermarkets and 50 per cent on the high street.”

Plastic bags can have a significant impact on the environment – around eight million tonnes of plastic ends up in our oceans each year, polluting our marine environment and harming our precious sea life.

Good causes are set to benefit from the charge, and as much as £730million could be donated to charities and not-for-profits over 10 years.

For further information, please visit www.gov.uk/government/collections/carrier-bags or watch a video on the scheme.