Supermarkets lose heart in green war on plastic carrier bags

Britain's biggest supermarket chains will come under fire this week for handing out tens of millions more carrier bags than last year, derailing attempts to reduce the environmental impact from billions of disposable bags.

New figures will show that the industry missed its target of halving the number of plastic bags used in 2006 for the second consecutive year. The setback will propel carrier bags back on to the green agenda, despite hopes of moving the environmental debate on to tackle bigger issues, such as food waste and water usage.

Campaigners criticised the increase and said it was time for the Government to step in. Mike Webster at Waste Watch said: "The rise suggests retailers should be given an extra nudge from legislation." The Welsh Assembly plans to introduce a 7p charge for carrier bags in the principality from next spring in an attempt to cut the number of bags dumped in landfill.

Retailers defended the figures, which were compiled in May, pointing out that they failed to account for the industry's growth. Paul Kelly, Asda's corporate affairs director, said: "At a total level, the increase is not surprising because more stores are opening. The picture would probably look better on a like-for-like basis."

Four years ago, seven of the UK's leading supermarket chains, including Tesco, Sainsbury's and Asda, pledged to slash the number of disposable carrier bags used by 50 per cent by 2009. Last year the industry just missed its target, cutting the number by 48 per cent to about 5.6 billion for the whole year.

The latest report, which the Government's waste watchdog Wrap will release on Wednesday, is expected to say that the overall trend has improved, despite the increase in May. Last year, the sector handed out 450 million single-use carrier bags in May 2009; the total number for May 2010 is likely to exceed 500 million. Experts were unable to explain why supermarkets handed out more bags that month. Paul Bettison, former chairman of the Local Government Association's environment board, said: "I am really surprised. I can't see retailers pushing up plastic bag use specifically, and I can't see why this is."

It is unclear which supermarket chains are to blame for the increase. All of the retailers contacted by The Independent on Sunday yesterday claimed to have cut their carrier bag usage in line with Wrap's original target, although only two chains – Marks & Spencer and Waitrose – disclosed the total number of bags used. M&S, which has charged its food customers 5p for every bag handed out since May 2008, said it used 240 million bags in the year to April 2010, including 89 million in its food halls, an 80 per cent drop since 2006. Waitrose gave customers 21 per cent fewer bags than the previous 12 months at 199 million in the year to May 2010.

drive from www.independent.co.uk