jor UK supermarkets used 8.3 billion single-use plastic carrier bags last year. This is an increase of 3.2 per cent on 2012, when 8.1 billion bags were used.The various UK governments tasked the recycling agency WRAP with monitoring plastic-bag usage in 2006. Since WRAP began record-keeping, there has been a decrease of 32 per cent from 12.2 billion, however, it is worrying that use has risen for the fourth year in a row.
The British Retail Consortium (BRC) said that the small increase should not take away from the significant reduction since 2006.
In England alone last year, the figure rose 5 per cent to 7.4 billion, compared to just over 7 billion in 2012.
Northern Ireland's usage dropped by 71 per cent, resulting from a charge being introduced in April 2013. Although Wales' usage increased by 18 per cent last year, it uses only a tiny percentage of what other parts of the UK use, as a result of a charge that has been in place for a number of years. This charge has seen a 79-per-cent reduction in Wales' plastic-bag usage since 2010.
The overall increase in the UK last year is even more troublesome when viewed in light of how few plastic bags Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland use in comparison to England, and the fact that Northern Ireland's usage dropped so dramatically last year.
Scotland did experience a 6-per-cent increase on the previous year, but plans to introduce a 5p levy this year.
England is planning on bringing in a 5p levy on single-use plastic bags from October next year, however, the BRC believes that the policies are unnecessarily complex and offer too many exemptions. BRC environment policy officer Alice Ellison said, "As drafted, they will not deliver the same environmental impact as the rest of the UK, and need the government to accept that the best way is a simple scheme which is consistent and easily understood by everyone."
