Recycle GB

What More Can I Do? > Choose to Reuse

Choose to Reuse

Little bags, big impact

The Facts

As the bags often appear light and flimsy, you might not think about their impact on the environment, but statistics for the UK show that each year:

more than 10 billion carrier bags are produced
if laid end-to-end, these would stretch to the moon and back five times
80% of shoppers put everything into free carrier bags at the supermarket
100,000 tonnes of plastic bags are thrown away – that’s the same weight as 70,000 cars!

Most bags are used only once for carrying goods between the shops and home, which is such a waste, especially when you consider that the majority of free carriers are made from oil - an increasingly valuable commodity. When dropped, they are an eyesore for us and can pose a danger to wildlife.

When carrier bags end up in landfill they can take hundreds of years to decompose!

The good news is

it's easy to play your part in reducing carrier bag waste:

use your shopping bag as many times as possible

remember to take bags with you every time you go shopping;

keep spare bags in your car or at work so you’re never without;

invest in stronger reusable bags, sometimes known as bags for life; and

let the check-out staff know you’ve brought your own before they pack for you!

Changing Habits

Most people say they simply forget to take and reuse their old carriers or reusable bags at the supermarket. As a nation we need to get into better habits, but we also need to find out what works best for UK shoppers.

Remember to take a bag when they leave the house, along with essentials such as their keys, wallet or purse.

Instead of picking up a free carrier bag, try and remember to reuse your old carriers, bags for life or a cloth bag or a rucksack.