ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) is supporting International Plastic Bag Free Day (3rd July) and is celebrating the work that convenience retailers have done to reduce the number of plastic bags being given out to customers.
The Government published their Resources and Waste Strategy which proposed to extend the current plastic bag charge to require all retailers to charge for single-use plastic bags.
ACS chief executive James Lowman said: “We have been calling for an extension of the plastic bag charge for several years and we are pleased to see that many retailers have introduced voluntary bag charging as a way of reducing plastic waste. Some convenience stores also organise litter picks and support other schemes to tackle plastic waste in their local areas.”
Figures from the 2018 Local Shop Report show that 46% of independent retailers have introduced a voluntary charge for plastic bags, with further widespread support for universal charging.
ACS has produced a short animation for retailers that explains the benefits of charging for plastic bags, which is available here.
