How much do you think plastic bags should cost?
From ‘necessary’ to ‘unacceptable’ – shoppers in the Black Country have had their say over Government plans to increase the current plastic bag fee to 10p.
The current 5p charge will be doubled and will apply at all shops, not just large retailers, under the measures aimed at tackling plastic consumption.
The plastic bag fee was introduced in 2015 as a way of tackling plastic waste, with a 5p charge for single-use plastic carrier bags.
The changes, which could come into effect in January 2020, are contained in a consultation which has been launched by the Government.
WATCH: Wolverhampton shoppers have their say
Shoppers in Wolverhampton had mixed views – with some praising the idea and others calling it ‘too much’.
Helen Venables, from Pelsall, in Walsall, who was out shopping with her mother Frances Marklew, said it helped save the planet ‘for the little ones’.
The 57-year-old said: “We try to save them. We usually take our own but I’ve had to buy some today. It doesn’t bother me. I'm not against it and if it saves the planet for the little ones it's good.
Ban
Ben Buddeley, of Horseley Fields, in Wolverhampton, who was out shopping with his daughter, Rubie, said the increase would make ‘no difference’ – and said plastic bags should be banned.
The 27-year-old said: "To me it makes no difference. I'm still going to buy the bags if I've bought too much.
"5p is 5p. If it was 50p or a pound I would think different.
"I would still be buying them. If it was a big price I would not buy that.
"I would be thinking twice if it went up by 50p. I would make more of an effort to bring my own but this doesn't make a difference to me.
"They should just ban them all."
Claire Rushton, 41, from Fallings Park, Wolverhampton, added: “It’s good because people will think about bringing their own bags.
"It's to save the planet. It's a positive thing and people always end up buying them anyway. "
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Paula Lavan, who was out shopping with her sister and sister-in-law, said the price increase was 'necessary'.
The 34-year-old, from Finchfield, said: "I think it's necessary. Single-use plastics are a problem – as David Attenborough pointed out. It should hopefully make a difference.
"If I do a food shop I'll take some with me, but If not I'll buy one. I never know how much I need."
Expensive
Rejoice Natasa, 60, from Tettenhall, said: “It’s getting expensive. Sometimes you’re struggling carrying stuff and then you have to pay 10p for a bag? It’s too much.
"You might come into town not wanting to buy and then you buy something and have to pay out. It’s unacceptable. No, I’m not a fan.”
Gillian Lavan, 34, from Compton, added: “I will always pay for a bag and I don’t have a problem with the increase. I think it’s a good idea to put the cost up.”
Michelle Hardiman, 33, from Castlecroft, said: "It makes you a lot more conscious of throwing them away. It's great."
The sale of single use plastic bags in major supermarkets has dropped by 86 per cent since the charge was introduced – equivalent to 19 bags in 2017/2018 per person in England, compared with 140 bags each before the government introduced the fee.
Environment Secretary Michael Gove, who announced the Government's plans, said: "The 5p single use plastic carrier bag charge has been extremely successful in reducing the amount of plastic we use in our everyday lives. Between us, we have taken over 15 billion plastic bags out of circulation.
"But we want to do even more to protect our precious planet and today’s announcement will accelerate further behaviour change and build on the success of the existing charge."
