Zac Goldsmith MP shows support for protest against single use carrier bags

Surfers Against Sewage campaigners, Break the Bag Habit coalition members, Lush Cosmetics and over 20 Bag Monsters – created from over 10,000 single-use plastic bags – today ran riot outside the Conservative Party Conference (Tuesday 9th October).

The Bag Monsters were met by Conservative MP for Richmond, Zac Goldsmith, who collected the results of a nationwide survey conducted by Lush. The retailer asked their customers whether they would support a 5p charge for single use plastic bags. Over 70 per cent of those consulted supported the 5p charge.

The attack of the Bag Monsters followed Owen Paterson’s – Secretary of the State for the Environment – keynote speech. Unlike Wales and Northern Ireland there is currently no plan for England to require retailers to implement a 5p charge. Scotland is currently consulting on introducing charging north of the border.

Last month a survey carried out for the ‘Break the Bag Habit’ campaign run by Surfers Against Sewage, CPRE, Keep Britain Tidy and MCS, by polling experts ICM found that 75 per cent of those asked would think twice about taking single-use carrier bags if a 5p charge was applied (more info).  This survey follows the successful implementation of a 5p bag charge in Wales which saw bag use fall by up to a 95 per cent (more info). Public support for the Welsh 5p charge rose from 59 per cent before its introduction, to 70 per cent following the first six months of bag charging (more info). Under the Welsh model retailers donate money raised from the 5p charge to charity.

All the evidence shows that a charge on single use bags works and is popular with consumers. We urge the Government to listen to retailers, the public and members of their own party and bring in a charge for England. This would be a simple and easy step to reduce litter, bring England in line with the rest of the UK and help the Government achieve its aim of being the greenest ever.