ACS has urged the government to include small businesses in the upcoming carrier bag charge in England after new figures show the nationwide scheme has reduced usage by 71% in Wales.
The report, released by the Welsh Government, also revealed that since the mandatory 5p charge for all single-use carrier bags was introduced in 2011, 87% of retailers said the charge either had a neutral or positive impact on their business, while 74% of consumers are supportive of the charge.
ACS chief executive James Lowman said: “ACS believes that charging for carrier bags is most effective when applied to businesses of all sizes, which is supported by these positive results from Wales. The scheme proposed in England will simply cause confusion for consumers over which stores will and won’t charge for carrier bags.”
From October this year, all businesses employing 250 or more staff will have to charge customers a minimum of 5p for each single-use carrier bag they provide. ACS has previously called for small businesses to be included within the charge to prevent consumer and retailer confusion over whether or not they will be required to charge for carrier bags.
The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) has published guidance for retailers about the upcoming carrier bag charges which can be found here: http://www.acs.org.uk/government-provides-guidance-for-retailers-on-octobers-carrier-bag-charges/
