to think a charge for carrier bags is counterproductive

[adsy]

Parliament are apparently going to approve a 5p charge for plastic bags.
Surely everyone reuses them as bin liners and if they werent getting the carrier bags would buy proper binliners instead which are made of thicker plastic so even more environmentally unsound.

[Joules68]

carrier bags don't fit my bin

[snoofle]

Good point I think?

[Writerwannabe83]

I use carrier bags as rubbish bags all the time. I grab a bag on a daily basis and go into every room in the house, pick up anything that needs to go in the bin, stick it in my bag which then goes straight in the wheelie bin Our actual kitchen bin rarely gets used as not much stuff makes it that far before I've done my carrier bag cleaning frenzy

[EmmanuelWoganberry]

If you use them as binliners you might be inclined to hoard a load while they’re free.

[theincrediblealfonso]

We've had the 5p charge for a while in Wales. Inevitably, there are times when I forget to take a bag with me and end up paying. I then use those as bin liners.

[EhricLovesTheBhrothers]

Yabu
Most people don't reuse them for bin liners, where did you get that idea? I use bin liners for bin liners.

[adsy]

Every house I go in uses carrier bags as bin liners or like writerwannabe does

[ExitPursuedByABear]

YANBU. I have had this thought. I use bags for all sorts of stuff and would have to buy if I did not have the freebies.

[adsy]

ehric what do you do with carrier bags then? Surely not just bin them?

[ExitPursuedByABear]

I have a spesh cotton bag my mum made me for storing plastic bags. A bag bag.

[chesterberry]

They already do this in Wales. When I was living in Wales it definitely reduced the amount of plastic bags I used, I bought cloth bags which fold up and could be kept in my handbag. It also meant that if I did need to buy a carrier bag I would pack my shopping to fit it in as few bags as possible which i didn't do before.

I'm in England now but still buy bin-liners as carrier bags don't fit my bin and the bin liners are a thin white plastic. You can get the bio-degradable or compostable bin liners too, although they are a bit pricey.

Think the 5p charge is a good idea personally but I will miss my green clubcard points.

[CheapBread]

Since they started charging in Wales carrier bags are prized possessions no to be 'wasted'! I still use them as liners but empty the contents into a refuse sack so they stay in the bin until they get really manky and I begrudgingly use another. Top tip: I use the toilet roll plastic packaging as a liner for the bathroom bin. You'll get used to taking your own bag/carrying armfuls of stuff really quickly, honest.

[kukeslala]

At 5p they would still be cheaper than actual bin liners any way wouldn't they?
If you prefer them just buy them at 5p and carry on using them.

[PeppermintInfusion]

They've been charging 5p for them in NI for about a year, apparently it's reduced plastic bag usage by 70% or something (don't quote me on that but a LOT anyway) which I was surprised about. It is annoying when I forget my reusable bags, but I buy a bag when I have to use then as bin liners. Tbh you get used to it and keep a plastic bag stowed in various places in case of emergency.
It's certainly made me think about the plastic bags I am using and the 5p does not go into the shop's profits.

[Zara8]

You just horde them when you get them! I buy bin liners now, mind you I did anyway when I lived in a country with free plastic bags.

I live in Ireland where the plastic bag levy is 22c (about 15p).

Whenever I am in the UK I am shocked at the amount of plastic bags given out willynilly. It's so wasteful. People using them (maybe) as bin liners is not an excuse to reduce this amount of plastic use and consumption.

Sky hasn't fallen in here...

[PacificDogwood]

YABU.

Britain is several decades behind continental Europe wrt to stopping the free supply of plastic bags in every shop which then end up cluttering up our streets, roadsides and waterways and my driveway.
It's about time that people used their own sturdier bags/crates when doing their grocery shopping - it's very easy to get use to, honest!

[ICanSeeTheSun]

I live in wales, tbh the 5p a bag don't bother me when they are plastic.

I hate paying for paper bags, they are 100% recyclable and in the rain are pointless.

You get good at remembering bags.

[lylasmam2012]

We've had this in Ireland donkey's years now. I don't miss plastic bags at all.

[Joysmum]

I part of a group of volunteer litter puckers in my town, believe me, plastic bags are the spawn of the devil along with those who hang bags if dig shit from trees or don't bother to pick up at all

[KeepingUpAnon]

YABU

I live in Wales and as far as I can tell it really does work well.

People actually think about reusable bags now. I never bothered before and now always take my own bags shopping. Just walking around the supermarket, you can see that the majority of people have brought their own bags with them.

The only people I think it has negatively impacted is delivery men. No more dumping a fortnights worth of shopping on your doorstep and disappearing...they have to wait now while you take the plastic crates to the kitchen to unload them and then give them back.

[IwishIwasmoreorganised]

YABU.

We've had this for a while in Wales and it's cut carrier bag useage by a massive amount.

I don't use carrier bags as bin liners - never have. It'd be a terrible bin if it was only bin liner size!

[hippoinamudhole]

Don't mind paying but would like a bag that doesn't tear so easily

[EhricLovesTheBhrothers]

I hardly end up with any because I take my own bags!
I use them for things of course, sometimes involving rubbish. But I would manage perfectly fine without them.

[MorrisZapp]

YABU. I use bin bags as bin bags. If you want to use carriers as bin bags, you can do so for a bargain 5p each.

Every country which has the charge has cut down plastic bag use dramatically.

It's a mad situation if people think they have a human right to free bin bags.