The debate over carrier bags in the UK rumbles on after Asda, the country’s number two food retailer, said it would remove its single-use bags from checkouts in June.
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The Wal-Mart-owned retailer said customers would have to ask its checkout staff for a bag, under its “bag on request” initiative.
The move comes a week after rival Marks & Spencer said it would introduce a GBP0.05 bag on carrier bags from May.
“We believe this is the best way to encourage shoppers to change the habit of a life time and start reusing their bags instead,” said Asda retail director Andy Clarke.
Asda said it would also introduce “bags for life” and reusable bags under the scheme.
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By GlobalDataRetailers fear the UK government could look to legislate to force the industry to cut the use of plastic carrier bags.
That notion has been dismissed by the British Retail Consortium, which last week said the sector was on-track to meet its voluntary commitment of reducing the “environmental impact” of bags by 25% by the end of the year.
