Morrisons trials 15p plastic bag charge

The supermarket says that reducing plastic use is its customers' top environmental concern.

The new "US-style" 20p paper bags are reusable and recyclable, and Morrisons says they are sourced from forests that are managed responsibly. They have handles and a similar capacity to standard plastic carrier bags.  

Morrisons scrapped its 5p single-use plastic bags last year, which it says cut bag sales by 25%.

It currently only sells reusable plastic bags, which will increase in price to 15p under the trial.

All large retailers are required by law to charge a 5p levy on single-use plastic bags, and the Government is currently consulting on whether to increase the charge to 10p and include all retailers in England. Paper bags are exempt from the charge.

See Supermarket Shopping Tips for help on cutting your shopping bill, and our 13 ways to use less plastic AND save cash. 

Which stores are taking part in the trial?

The trial, which starts today, will last eight weeks and take place in eight stores across England, Wales, Scotland and Gibraltar. 

The participating stores are Abergavenny, Camden, Erskine, Gibraltar, Hunslet, Skipton, Wood Green and Yeadon. 

What does Morrisons say?

Andy Atkinson, group customer and marketing director at Morrisons, said: "When we listen to customers they want us to help them reduce the amount of plastic they have in their lives.

"These new paper bags do exactly the same job as standard plastic carrier bags. They are tough, reusable and can help keep a large amount of plastic out of the environment."