Which stores will charge for bags?
New plastic bag charges details
Feed Copy:
From 5 October large retailers in England will need to start charging for plastic bags as part of government plans to reduce waste. Get the lowdown on the new rules with our Q&A. Which stores will charge for bags? Under the new rules shops with more than 250 full-time employees will need to start charging for plastic bags. The cost of implementing the charges exempts smaller businesses, however the Association of Convenience Stores says it reckons some 16% of corner shops will follow suit. Trade magazine The Grocer has also reported that Londis, Budgens, CostCutter and Spar are all advising their independent stores to start charging for bags. Are there any exceptions? Retailers are not required to charge for bags where there is a safety concern. For example unwrapped food, raw fish and meat, flowers, seeds, uncovered blades and prescription medicines. There are also no charges for paper bags or in airport shops, on board airplanes, trains and ships. How much will the bags cost? The government has set a minimum charge of 5p per bag, however retailers can charge more if they wish. What will happen to the money raised? The charge is not a tax and as such the money won’t go straight into government coffers. However it is hoped that it won’t just bump up supermarket takings either, with the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) recommending that the money raised goes to good causes. Sainsburys, Asda, Tesco, Morrisons and Waitrose have all committed to spending proceeds in this way. Do the same rules apply if I get my shopping delivered? Supermarkets still have to charge you for bags used for home deliveries as well as click and collect services. Some supermarkets – including Tesco and Sainsburys – are introducing bag-less home deliveries. If you still require bags, both stores charge a 40p flat fee. How can I avoid the charge? It’s easy to avoid the charge – simply bring bags with you! Keep large ‘bags for life’ in the boot of your car and stash foldaway bags in handbags, rucksacks or pockets so you are always prepared. And, if your bag for life does (somewhat ironically) wear out, supermarkets are usually happy to replace them free of charge. Why are the rules being introduced? According to figures from Defra the number of single-use plastic bags that were handed out to shoppers in England rose for the fifth year running in 2014, rising to a whopping 7.6 billion or 140 bags per person. This is in spite of research showing that the average household has 40 plastic bags at home. Plastic bags take longer than other bags to degrade, cause damage to wildlife and contribute to litter. Will the scheme work? Defra estimates that the scheme will see take up of single-use carrier bags drop by as much as 80% in supermarkets and 50% on the high street. It also anticipates the scheme will raise up to £730m for good causes and cut litter clear up costs by £60m. The charges already apply in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and in Wales plastic bag consumption dropped by 79% in three years. Huge sums have also been raised for charity with Asda generating £270,000 in Wales over the last 12 months while Scottish stores raised £156,000 for social and community projects in the first six months after the charge was introduced.
Source Moneywise http://ift.tt/1Rhx93C
ليست هناك تعليقات:
إرسال تعليق