Do you back a 5p plastic carrier bag levy in Gloucestershire?

“I would not object to paying 5p if the bags were suitable for purpose !
Many a time bags have split spilling my goods all over the road.
If I pay 5p than using the trade desciption act the purchase must be suitable for purpose,
thus the sole use of a plastic bag is to carry goods in. can i claim my 5p back if the bag splits. ?”

“If people think Plastic bags are so bad for the planet you dont need to charge 5p at all. Just stop using them!

Its simple really buy a big bag you can use again and again. Simple really.”

“Plastic is one of the by products of oil, oil is refined to fuel our cars and we are charged extortionately. So, why not charge for bags. Never know, mind reduce price of fuel due to extra income. I might have to be careful what i say though as the government may put duty tax on carrier bags too. HAHA.”

“Takeaway22

Sprat to catch a Mackerel!

So M&S give 1.85p to charity for each 5p carrier bag they sell. That pales into insignificance when compared with their increased profits generated from single use bin liners, the sales of which rocketed after the introduction of the carrier bag charge. What a con!

Rarely have I seen so much collective sense talked on this site which suggests that there are some very simple and obvious solutions out there. Unfortunately most of those who create and manage policies have agendas which, on the surface may seem be green, but in reality reflect other interests. Part of the end result is that we are turning recycling into a cottage industry, the inefficiency of which would make Henry Ford turn in his grave!”

“M&S was named Responsible Retailer of the year 2011 and is on the way to becoming the world's most sustainable major retailer. In 2007, M&S launched Plan A – its ambitious environmental and ethical commitments which include initiatives such as:

Reducing its non-glass packaging across food, clothing, and homeware by an average of 26%

460 million food carrier bags were used every year at M&S It has dropped by 80% since introducing a 5p charge for bags, with profits from the charge going to charities such as Groundwork, WWF, Marine Conservation Society and an education programme to protect marine environments.”

“P.S. where does this 5p go ? to the supermarket profits?”

“How about 2 things:
1) put pressure on supermarkets to use paper bags like America
2) Get the council to accept plastic bags in recycling ?”

“Tesco bags have a use by date on them. Leave them in the environment, and they turn to dust in a very short period of time.

In the Wal-Marts in the USA, the till staff are trained to use one bag per item, and the tills have a carousel at the back of the checkout to do just this. I was slapped down for trying to fill a bag with a few items in one last year over there.

We in the UK are by and large very aware by comparison.”

“"The majority of people think a 5p charge on single-use carrier bags should be introduced in England".
I don't believe that for one moment.
Ask a leading question, take a small enough sample, select the right people and you can make a survey say whatever you like.
I would suggest that most people are really opposed to littering, opposed to seeing that litter in the form of supermarket bags and some think charging for bags will make an overall difference.

Single use bags usually are in reality very often multi-use bags, bin liners, fruit collectors and often reused for shopping. Charging for them will be perceived as a stealth tax and the use of other bags will just increase. Result no real change except to our shopping cost.

If you want to make a real difference reduce all packaging and enforce littering laws.”

“whats the matter with using paper bags like primark uses anyway if we do end up paying shops should not be allowed to print their names on them because i am not paying to advertise them for free”