Plastic Bag Charge Increases

The plastic bag charge in Scotland is being increased in a bid to help tackle plastic waste and make shoppers more conscious of the carriers. The charge increase will see the bags go from 5p to 10p each with retailers with more than 10 employees required to keep a tally of how many single-use bags they sell for a minimum of three years. The initiative will be implemented across the market with certain exceptions to help combat the spread of COVID-19 where single-use plastic bags are essential.

ACS Chief Executive James Lowman spoke on the plastic bag charge increase saying, "Charging for single-use carrier bags is a popular measure with local shops, as it works to reduce plastic waste and allows retailers to raise more money for local and environmental causes and we welcome the implementation of the increase in the minimum price of single-use carrier bags in Scotland. We will continue to liaise closely with DEFRA to gain clarity for retailers on the timetable for the introduction of the 10p charge and extension to all retailers in England.”