ACS

PRESS RELEASE

3 June 2010

Welsh Bag Tax Will Hit Local Shops Hardest

As the Environment Minister publishes the detail of long held plans to impose a ‘bag tax’ on Welsh consumers, ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) have expressed concerns about the impact the tax will have on local and high street shops.

Under proposals retailers will be required to charge a minimum of 7p per bag for a single use carrier bag, and retailers will be encouraged to donate the proceeds to a charity.

ACS Chief Executive James Lowman said: “Retailers agree whole heartedly with an ambition to reduce dramatically the use of single use carrier bags in Wales. The local shop sector has been at the forefront of moves to reduce bag usage implementing a range of schemes. However the plan to impose a blanket bag tax will inconvenience customers and undermine the local shops that rely on ‘pop in’ trade.

“We just can’t agree that the blanket 7p tax is the right approach, Ministers have failed to think seriously about how the charge might change customer shopping habits, pushing them towards out of town, car borne, shopping.

“Ministers have sought to reassure that the compliance requirements will be light touch, but they are placing a further bureaucratic burden onto thousands of welsh businesses.”

Ministers plan for the bag tax to come into force by Spring 2011.

Contacts:

Shane Brennan, Public Affairs Director
01252 533009 / 07921 372978

Chris Noice, Communications Assistant
01252 533013

Notes to Editors:

1. ACS (Association of Convenience Stores) is the voice of local shops, representing over 33,500 convenience stores. ACS helps local shops thrive through lobbying, support and networking opportunities.
2 There will be a three month consultation on the draft regulations to introduce the ban on free to use carrier bags. The final regulations are scheduled to be tabled before the Welsh Assembly by the end 2010, meaning that the ban would be in place Spring 2010.

3. Comments by Jane Davidson can be read here:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1283483/Welsh-plan-charge-7p-plastic-bags-copied-UK.html

4. ACS response to the initial consultation can be found here:
http://www.acs.org.uk/en/lobbying/issues/environment/