RETAILERS have argued that government plans to use compulsion to reduce the number of plastic bags they issue are unnecessary.

Last year retailers voluntarily committed to reduce the overall environmental impact of carrier bags by 25 per cent by the end of 2008. The government funded waste body Waste & Resources Action Programme (WRAP) released provisional findings showing retailers:

  • Gave out a billion less bags compared with this time last year
  • Already reduced the environmental impact of plastic bags by 14 per cent Retailers know their customers best. Each is investing in initiatives it believes best responds to the needs of its own customers. Overall the retail industry is now more than half way towards its target. Achievements so far include:
  • Huge reductions in the numbers of bags handed out, encouraged by rewarding re-use and promoting hard-wearing bags for life.
  • Substantial increases in the amount of recycled plastic used in bag manufacture leading to big reductions in the amount of virgin plastic and therefore oil consumed.
  • Offering bag recycling facilities at stores.

BRC director general Stephen Robertson said: "Retailers made a bold commitment to voluntarily reduce the environmental impact of bags by a quarter. The latest figures show they are more than half way to meeting these commitments and confound critics who say bans or taxes are the only way.

Retailers know their customers best. They should be allowed to continue achieving results in ways that work best with their own customers.

"We're calling for considered policy based on clear evidence and good science. In seemingly tearing up the agreement with retailers on their environmental impact is this just a populist reaction by government?"