The Debate: Has the plastic bag levy been a success?
Ten years on, the plastic bag levy has largely been hailed a success – but has it actually helped the planet? We get two experts to hash it out in this week’s Debate
Yes: Plastic bag use in supermarkets has plummeted
Plastic bags, made from low-density polyethylene (LDPE), pose significant recycling challenges. Unlike rigid plastics such as food trays or bottles, LDPE is hard to sort and process. Plastic bags often get tangled in sorting machinery, increasing operational costs for recycling companies. Also, they are prone to contamination with food and other waste, making them difficult to clean and thus less likely to be accepted by recycling facilities. Reducing the demand for plastic bags is therefore crucial to mitigating this waste stream.
The UK’s plastic bag tax, first introduced in 2015, has proven highly effective. By 2023, the 5p charge, later increased to 10p, resulted in a 98 per cent reduction in single-use plastic bags from supermarkets and other retailers compared to 2014 levels. In 2022-23, sales of single-use plastic carrier bags dropped to 133m, down from 7.6bn in 2014. Research indicates that the tax has been particularly effective in England, compared to similar European countries.
Importantly, there is also evidence the charge may have a positive behavioural “spillover effect” whereby change in plastic bag purchasing behaviour influences other areas. Recent data from 22 countries show that bans or charges on plastic bags strengthen a social norm against single-use plastic use, leading to broader reductions in the demand for plastic bottles, straws and other items. The plastic bag tax has therefore not only measurably reduced plastic bag use but might also help foster a wider cultural shift towards minimising single-use plastics overall.
Matthew Cotton is a professor of environmental justice and public policy
No: Single-use plastic is running amok in ecommerce
No, because it does nothing to stem the tide of single-use plastic bags in online retail, which is rising rapidly. We need to tackle it.
The plastic bag levy was introduced to encourage shoppers to move away from single-use plastic and embrace reusable, or paper-based alternatives. Ten years on and plastic bag use has dropped dramatically in bricks and mortar stores, but single-use plastic runs amok in online shopping.
Online fashion retailers delivered 941m plastic bags to UK shoppers last year, equating to 2.6m bags every day. The problem is only set to get worse. Working with Development Economics, we have estimated that by 2030, 1.3bn plastic delivery bags will be arriving on UK doorsteps each year, adding up to 6.9bn bags in the next five years. Nearly all of them could end up in landfill, or in the natural environment.
While online shopping has grown, ecommerce retailers lag high-street stores when it comes to replacing single-use plastic. Brands like Zalando have proved change is possible, switching all their deliveries to paper-based alternatives. But there is a blocker; there simply aren’t enough fibre-based alternatives available, and our industry needs to step up to provide them.
The other blocker is price, but sticking with plastic comes at a cost – consumers don’t want it, and brands risk their reputation by ignoring that.
But there are routes forward. Legislation can and should be more demanding of us all and could even generate healthy competition among industry players to replace plastic. For example, the phasing out of certain plastics would help create a level playing field, and encourage innovation and investment.
The single-use plastic challenge has moved on. It’s time for online business and legislation to move with it.
Stefano Rossi is chief executive of the packaging division at sustainable packaging business DS Smith
The Verdict: How to measure success?
Introduced 10 years ago, the plastic bag levy has largely been hailed a success, but is it true? As this week’s debaters show, that largely depends on how you measure success. As Professor Cotton cites, when it comes to reducing single-use plastic use in supermarkets themselves, the levy has undoubedtly triumphed. Turns out, many of us would rather walk home cradling a precarious pile of vegetables rather than fork out a few extra pennies – and too right.
However, as Mr Rossi diligently objects, can we really count this a success if our overall plastic use has rocketed? As he points out, the rise of online shopping means many of us now receive hundreds of plastic bags direct to our doorsteps instead. Is this any better? On top of this, the levy may have accidentally contributed to another issue: tote bags, which many of us now accumulate in landfilling droves.
All in all then, it looks like it may well be time to expand our focus when it comes to the problem of plastic bags.