New rules from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) mean that more high street stores will be charging 5p for every plastic bag given to a customer.
Coming into effect on Monday 5th October, the new rules mean any retailer employing more than 250 staff across the UK will have to charge customers for every plastic bag they use.
Recently released data has indicated that £100 million will be spent by customers on carrier bags from now until Christmas, a time when retail sales are traditionally high each year.
A number of supermarkets have already introduced a charge for plastic bags, but the majority of high street retailers have so far avoided adding the cost to people’s bills.
Arcadia Group stores such as Burton, Dorothy Perkins, Miss Selfridge, Topman and Topshop will all be including the new charge in line with Defra’s rules.
Poundland and other discount stores will also have to follow the new guidelines, which represents a significant cost increase for any customers buying their products.
However, stores such as Primark – which provides paper bags to its customers – are unlikely to follow other retailers in implementing the additional charge, though Primark has not confirmed its position.
It is expected that the change will not only benefit the environment, by reducing the UK’s level of plastic consumption, but will also raise funds for worthy causes.
As an example of this, Marks and Spencer currently donates the profits made from its plastic bag sales to the World Wildlife Fund and the Marine Conservation Society, in addition to funding a number of primary school education projects linked to marine protection.