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Single-use carrier bags on the increase, newspaper claims

Britain's biggest supermarkets are handing out more single-use carrier bags than they were a year ago, despite ongoing targets to decrease the numbers, a Sunday newspaper has claimed.

The Independent on Sunday reported that Wrap figures due to be published this Wednesday will show that the number of single-use carriers being handed out is actually increasing.

Figures published last year showed that supermarkets had just missed a target to reduce the use of single-use carriers by 50% by 2009 compared to 2006 figures, reaching a 48% reduction. 

However, the IoS predicted that this week’s figures would show an increase in the number of bags handed from 450m in May 2009 to more than 500m in May 2010.

The paper claimed that the figures will "propel carrier bags back onto the green agenda" at a time when many had hoped to move the debate onto bigger issues such as food waste and water usage.

But retailers defended the figures to the paper, arguing that the increase was a result of more stores opening. Asda corporate affairs director Paul Kelly told the IoS: "The picture would probably look better on a like-for-like basis."

But environmental campaign group Waste Watch said the figures proved the need for the government to legislate on the issue rather than relying on voluntary agreements.

Wrap was not available for comment on the IoS report this morning.