Since the UK government's levy was introduced two months ago, Tesco has seen a 78-per-cent reduction in the number of plastic bags used by its customers, TheGuardian.com reports.
The introduction of a 5p fee for a single-use plastic bag has resulted in the number of such bags used shrinking by 10 per cent more than Tesco had forecast. The money generated by the levy will be distributed to charitable causes.
Tesco said, “We knew the government’s bag charge would encourage our customers to use fewer plastic bags, and it’s clearly had a huge impact.
“We wanted to do as much as we could to help our customers avoid paying the charge. The week before the charge was introduced, we gave out free bags for life, and we’ve been sharing helpful hints and tips on how customers can cut down the number of bags they use.
The UK's environment minister, Rory Stewart, told the paper, “I’m really delighted that the 5p plastic-bag charge is starting to have a real impact and is raising thousands for good causes.
“Cutting the number of plastic bags we use is a small but vital step in reducing plastic waste. It will not only tidy up our towns and countryside, it will also help protect our precious beaches and sea life.”
© 2015 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Peter Donnelly. To subscribe to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine, click here.
