Sales of plastic bags drop 98% in a decade

The number of single-use plastic bags sold in 2023/24 fell by 67million compared to the previous year - and has dropped by 98 per cent in a decade.

The Daily Mail led the way with our Banish the Bags campaign - and customer charges for each bag used came into force in 2014.

New figures from the Department for the Environment show how the charge - now 10 pence - has been a staggering success, making a huge impact on the amount of single use plastic bags handed out by retailers - and helping to reduce the scourge of litter and plastic pollution in the country.

In 2023/24, the total number of single-use plastic bags sold by all retailers fell to 340 million, down from 407 million in 2022/23.

In a further incredible drop, the number of single-use plastic bags sold by the main retailers (Asda, Marks and Spencer, Morrisons, Sainsbury's, Tesco, The Co-operative Group and Waitrose) last year was 79 million, down from 133 million in 2022/23.

This is an incredible decrease of more than 98 per cent in the number of bags sold by the main retailers in 2014 - a reduction of around 7.56 billion bags.

The charge has also raised a significant amount for charities and other good causes.

In the past year, 35 per cent of retailers donated £4.2million to charities.

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The total amount of money donated to good causes from the plastic bag charges now stands at £210million since the charges were brought in.

The 10 pence charge on bags dates from May 2021 - and was 5 pence a bag prior to that.

Defra said in a statement that the total given to good causes is likely to be higher than £210million as some retailers do not report their donation figures.

And the reduction in bags used could be higher as only large retailers are required to record and report the number of single-use carrier bags they sell in England.

A large retailer employs 250 or more full-time equivalent employees (in total and not just in retail roles) in a year.

Circular Economy Minister Mary Creagh said: 'Plastic waste blights our streets, rivers and seas.

'These figures show the previous Government was right to introduce the plastic bag charge.

'However, we must do much more to move towards a zero-waste economy. That is why we are working at pace to end the throw-away society and clean up Britain.'