Reduce Plastic Bag Use by 70% ... Or Else!

I like it when the government give ultimatiums and idle threats, usually then to forget about them by the deadline or go back on what they originally wanted to achieve in the first place. It doesn't fill me full of confidence really, as this is not the first time that the government has asked the big four (supermarkets, that is) to reduce the number of plastic carrier bags they give to customers by 70 per cent by next spring. The Government has warned stores that a failure to do so voluntarily will trigger a change in the law to put an end to the distribution of free throwaway bags.

'When we met retailers recently, we told them we thought a reduction of 70 per cent would be a ball-park figure. That is the order of reduction. If the reduction can be achieved voluntarily, then excellent. If it can't, we will impose charges. We know that is what the public wants.'
Joan Ruddock, Environment Minister

The target was revealed by Environment minister Joan Ruddock yesterday at a press conference with the Waste and Resources Action Programme, which is funded by the Government to tackle waste, to highlight how stores and manufacturers are tackling excess packaging.

The proposals have the support of all the major political party leaders and leading figures in the administrations in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

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