Consultation on the proposal to extend the single-use carrier bag charge to all retailers and to increase the minimum charge to 10p

From October 2015 onwards, the Single Use Carrier Bags Charges (England) Order 2015 required retailers with over 250 employees to:

• charge a minimum for 5p for supply of single use carrier bags to customers for collections and deliveries; and
• provide the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (‘Defra’) with data by 31 May each year on the number of single use carrier bags sold, gross and net income derived from sales in the previous reporting year (April-March).

 DEFRA has just launched a new consultation seeking views on:

•  extending the charge to SMEs (but without any reporting requirements);
• increasing the charge to 10p;
• requiring “producers” of single use carrier bags to report the volume they place on the market (as an extension of existing packaging producer reporting obligations); and
• remove exemption from the 5p charge for retailers in security restricted areas at airports.

The consultation can be viewed by following this link

 Responses can be made:

• using the citizen space consultation hub at: https://consult.defra.gov.uk/environmental-quality/extending-the-single-use-bags-charge/
• by email - PlasticBagCharge@defra.gov.uk
• in writing - Defra, Single Use Carrier Bags, Resources and Waste Team, Ground Floor NE, Seacole Building, 2 Marsham Street, London, SW1P 4DF

The consultation will close at midnight on 22 February 2019.