Plastic bag use falls for fourth year

The number of plastic bags handed out to supermarket shoppers has fallen for the fourth year in a row, according to retail industry figures.

In the year to May 2010 there was a 43% reduction in the number of 'single-use' bags given to customers, in comparison to 2006, when independent monitoring began. This represents a fall of 4.6 billion bags.

And the total weight of the material used in the bags has fallen by more than a half, according to the British Retail Consortium (BRC), of which all seven of the participating supermarkets are members.

Highlighting a more-than-6% increase in sales volumes over this same period, the BRC claimed the figures to be a "ringing endorsement" of a voluntary approach for supermarkets. It argued that they should continue to be allowed to use their own initiatives and the methods "which work best for their own customers", instead of suffering mandated bans or taxes.

BRC director-general Stephen Robertson said it was a "tremendous achievement" by supermarkets, customers and staff alike. He drew attention to a single-month snapshot figure for May 2009, which showed a reduction of 48% in comparison to 2006 - tantalisingly close to the 50% reduction that supermarkets had set for themselves.

However, a similar snapshot for May 2010 - produced by the Waste and Resources Management Programme (WRAP), which monitors supermarkets' performance - revealed that the number of single-use bags handed out had risen by 23 million in comparison to the same month in 2009.

Nevertheless, Robertson said that the overall reduction showed that shoppers were "permanently adopting the habit of re-using their bags".

"The reduction in bag use is great news, but it's the halving of the total weight of single-use carrier bags which shows retailers really scoring on the crucial issue of reducing environmental impact," he added.

"Retailers are working hard on a range of other environmental measures, such as reducing food waste, reducing and redesigning packaging, as well as providing customers with recycling information through the on-pack recycling label."

Retail sales moving on up

Meanwhile, the high street has had a good August, according to the Confederation of British Industry (CBI).

The body's quarterly Distributive Trades Survey showed the second consecutive year-on-year increase in sales volumes, while businesses indicated that they were broadly optimistic about the coming quarter.

Official figures show that retail sales rose by 1.3% in July, in comparison to the same month in 2009.

British Chambers of Commerce chief economist David Kern said that sales were stronger than expected - particularly as they follow a strong June in which sales may have been buoyed by the World Cup.

"The figures provide an early indication that economic growth will remain in positive territory during the third quarter of the year," he added.

However, warning that there was no room for complacency, Kern said that businesses were still struggling, while the full repercussions of June's emergency Budget were yet to be felt.

"Risks of an economic setback are significant, and it is important for the Government and Monetary Policy Committee to focus on supporting business and securing the recovery," he added.

IMAGE Jacquelyn Martin/AP/Press Association Images

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