to think a charge for carrier bags is counterproductive

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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.

You can't really be arguing that because you personally are a vegan, and your mum as an individual throws those bags away, that it is ok to expose the rest of the population to food poisoning?

What a strangely narrow minded viewpoint.

Food hygiene is a fairly niche area; most people have low levels of understanding around what constitutes a safe practice.

Oh and meat packaging frequently leaks, or has been stored in contaminated containers.

What pisses me off is the proposal to give the money to charity, as in Wales.

When I give to charity I choose the amount and the charity. I don't outsource that to the Government.

This is a tax and should be called a tax.

I think it is a great idea and I have just got into the habit of taking my bags. They don't fit my bin anyway.

Another Welsh person over here.

When they brought the levy in I was sceptical but it really has worked and it's become second nature to grab your carrier bags and jute bags for your wine when shopping.

I never used them as bin liners and the quality of the 5p ones is so poor that I can't see how they'd be any good these days. If I end up with too many carrier bags I just recycle the more dog eared ones.

I use them for bin bags. By the time I'd fill a standard bin, it would be stinking, so a small, lidded bin lined with a carrier bag works well. I'd still be lining a bin with plastic, so there's minimal environment difference. I have reusable bags but tend to forget them now I have the logistics of DC to carry, and escort to the shop. I also decline bags where they are unnecessary and I can manage without.

We have this in wales, we've just got used to it, and now everyone takes bags to the supermarket instead..I don't miss the enormous collection of plastic bags I used to hoard!

It pisses me off that you have to pay for a plastic bag at m&S and the bags advertise m&S fresh fish! I'm a vegan. I don't want to be carrying a bag advertising fish. I especially don't want to pay for the privilege. I don't mind paying for a bag but they should be logo (and advert) free.

a. Why should we pay to advertise the shop we've been to? They should pay us for advertising them!

b. I'm collecting them while they are still free because they are so useful as other posters have said. I use them for rubbish from each room.

c. As for lining the kitchen bin with them, I use charity bags for that so even they are not wasted.

d. I store different things in them and keep them in the garage, suitably labelled.

Owl I am complaining because overall I will not be using any less plastic bags than I currently do but I will be paying more.

The new laws aren't based solely on your behaviour though are they?

things that have touched raw meat should be disposed of, never reused

Or washed, That is always an option. do you throw away your knives and chopping boards?

I agree with the poster who litter picks, plastic rubbish is a massive problem, much of it it is plastic bags and other plastic packaging, especially crisp packets which last for years. It is unsightly and dangerous to wildlife.

It's like this in France so I tend to go around with reusable bags which is not a hassle at all and great for the environment...but I also buy loads of small bags I would not have bought before to use in the toilet bin, to put the odd diaper in, to pick up dog poo, etc. Sadly I don't think it makes any difference overall.

We have had this in N Ireland for a couple of years now. I have no problem brining my own bags for Tesco when i do the shopping and in fact find it easier to use the big bag for life bags that I bought.

What does annoy me is paying for paper bags in clothes shops. When i go clothes shopping i try to bring my own bags but when I'm having a splurge I inevitably have to buy bags.

What about buying clothes? Will we be expected to either pay for a bag or put new clothes into a re-used bag for life?

I re-use plastic carrier bags for all sorts of things, they're invaluable for disposing of anything icky.

Oh, x post.

I spent 1500 on my wedding dress and veil and they still charged me 5p for a big paper bag to take my veil home in. That was the only time it pissed me off.

This has come and go over the years - one supermarket will charge, then stop as no-one else is...
I hate the way shop-packers pack my stuff - one pack of 4-toilet rolls, into a bag. On its own, then chucked in the trolley. Surely it doesn't need any more plastic round it?

Re raw meat - I've been using the same 'Bag for Life's for years, and never got food poisoning. Never even thought about it! Everything is usually wrapped in plastic anyway - it's not like I put unwrapped meat straight into the bag.

I've got a yellow cotton bag which folds down into a banana-shape; fits in my handbag!

Although I can see your also ing, I think it's flawed, and YAbu
Most bins dont "fit" carriers.
If we pay for bags well use fewer of them and make efforts to take reusables to the supermarket.
I often shop in Lidl where they charge for bags and I'm conscious to take my own bags that I re-use.

also ing?
Sorry, thinking.

See, round here, bin men will only take black bun bags, so we end up with a big kitchen bin lined with a bin bag, then lots of plastic carrier bags in the small bins, which then go in the big bag, and I take out that big bag daily. I reckon we could just get in the habit of putting everything in the kitchen bin and tying up the black bags when they aren't 100% full.

I have a lot of friends who don't have kitchen bins though, they just have a carrier bag wrapped on the door handle and go out to the main bin regularly. There's going to be a lot of big bin purchasing...

I think the evidence where it has been brought in shows how the reduce of plastic bags has come in. Would be interested to see how bin limner sales have gone up.

I do use my bags as bin limners by the way.

Can I ask those in NI and Wales. What happens with supermarket deliveries as they seem to use extraordinary amounts of carriers

M&S hve charged for carrier bags for years and it hasn't stopped me from shopping there. I usually go with a stash of turtle bags and bags for life, though their 5p bags are pretty robust, too.

I still use the sainsburys bags as bin bags and for carrying spare shoes in for the boys, when they walk to school in their wellies.

I don't understand this bin bag argument for two reasons. Firstly the bags have holes in the - bin liners don't because stuff oozes. Secondly if you buy all your food in carrier bags then eat the food and dispose of the packaging and leftovers you must end up with spare bags - because a lot of what you have bought is digested and disposed of in other ways (I sincerely hope you don't use plastic bags that!).

The story about plastic bags being made out of waste gas is frankly nonsense. Plastic bags are made out of ethylene, which is made of the gas coming from oil wells. In the Uk we put a lot of effort into bringing this gas onshore and processing it, it is in short supply which is why gas imports from US fracking will be needed to keep our petrochemical industry going. It is decades since gas was routinely flared in the North sea to dispose of it.