Welsh Government
Wales was the first country in the UK to introduce a single use carrier bag (SUCB) charge in 2010. The aim of the charge was to significantly reduce the consumption of SUCBs and the associated environmental impacts of their production, use, and disposal. A Post-implementation Review (PIR), published in 2016, assessed the impact of the SUCB charge and indicated a reduction in the supply of SUCBs in Wales between 2011 to 2014. There is some evidence that while the number of SUCBs has been hugely reduced, the number of Bags for Life (BfL) has, at the same time, significantly increased. Winning Moves was commissioned to conduct research to provide the Welsh Government with an update on bag usage in Wales, and an understanding of current retailer and consumer attitudes and behaviours in response to the SUCB charge.
The evidence suggests the SUCB charge should be continued. The SUCB charge has widespread support from both retailers and consumers and has led to a significant and sustained reduction in the number of SUCBs issued in Wales. The study found the number of SUCBs issued by retailers in Wales decreased by 21% between 2015-16 and 2017-18. Winning Moves estimate that 94.1 million SUCBs were issued, compared with 119.4 million in the previous time frace The decline was mostly the result of large supermarkets ceasing to issue plastic SUCBs.
The full report, which also outlines the implications of the findings for the Welsh Government, can be found here.