Deadline for charging for plastic bags to be revealed
ENVIRONMENT Minister Jane Davidson will announce the date she hopes to impose charges on plastic bags today.
She will use a Senedd statement to update AMs on plans to make shoppers pay for single-use carrier bags at the till.
Ms Davidson signalled her intention to press ahead with introducing a compulsory fee when a report backed the idea last month.
A study commissioned by the Assembly Government supported the idea of cutting the use of plastic bags beyond a level agreed by retailers.
Consultants said a bag tax in Ireland offered a "particularly attractive model" for Wales, having cut single-use bags by 90 per cent and reduced litter.
Some 480 million bags were issued in Wales with the intention of being used only once last year.
An agreement between big retailers and the Government is expected to cut this to about 320 million in future.
Ms Davidson is considering charging between 5p and 15p as a way of encouraging shoppers to re-use bags instead of throwing them away.
After last month's report, she said: "In simple terms, the evidence shows introducing a charge works. Just look at what some retailers in the UK are already doing."
But the British Retail Consortium has warned against the move, saying shops have already made progress without the need for legislation.
The watchdog Consumer Focus Wales said shoppers will need to see where the money raised by a statutory charge is being spent.
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by Paul, Swansea
Tuesday, November 03 2009, 1:56PM
“Simple answer, buy a reusable bag and you won`t have to pay.”
by James Sheridan, Swansea
Tuesday, November 03 2009, 12:55PM
“Where are all the 5p's to 15p's that is being raised by this policy, going to go!? Is it going directly on Public Service Provision in Wales, or is it going to off-set the reduced Block Grant settlement Wales will be getting from Westminister or is it going to fund Wales's floundering, hard pressed and largely unsupported Economy or is Welsh Labour planning to do a 'William Hague' and send the 'excess monies' back to Westminster!? Lets have the full story, Jane-ho, not the the current fiction being peddled by a would-be J. K. Rowling!”
by PHIL, West Cross
Tuesday, November 03 2009, 12:49PM
“Why is it that those who think they run the country can only come up with increased cost (TAX) as a way of solving problems. Too many cars on the roads, Tax the fuel. Too much alcohol drunk, stop happy hours and put a minimum price on it. Tobacco, again, tax it to the hilt..
None of these schemes have worked so why do they think that taxing carrier bags will stop people using them?”
by Enigma, Swansea
Tuesday, November 03 2009, 11:28AM
“That's fine as long as supermarkets remove their logo from the bag and issue plain bags. I'm not going to pay to advertise for Tesco.”
by Teifion, LLandovery
Tuesday, November 03 2009, 10:39AM
“Another stealth tax, no need to say more. JJ, Swansea
Amazing how a US report that stated a Jeep (dreaded 4x4 planet destroyer) was the most WHOLE life "green" car and was greener than the middle class salve for their guilt - the Toyota Prius - with all those nasty minerals mined in Canada and then shipped to Japan to be used in the batteries of the hybrid
But I guess a make do and mend policy which is the greenest option does not allow for increased taxes”