Morrisons will cut an estimate 1,300 tonnes of plastic waste by offering recyclable paper carrier bags to all customers as it aims to slash plastic use in stores.
Britain’s fourth largest retailer by market share has trialled paper carrier bags since January, which have proved popular with customers, prompting the supermarket to roll out the scheme across the country.
Starting in Wales, paper bags will become available from all checkouts in England and Scotland from May.
The bags are made in Wales using paper from sustainably managed forests, and are strong enough to carry up to 16kg. Each bag costs 20p, the same as their plastic counterparts.
Andy Atkinson, group customer and marketing director, at Morrisons said:“We are taking another meaningful step that will remove an estimated 1,300 tonnes of plastic out of the environment each year.
“Our customers have told us that reducing plastic is their number one environmental concern so introducing the paper bag across the nation will provide another way of reducing the plastic in their lives.”
While some criticise paper bags as being less environmentally friendly than plastic, Morrisons said they had assessed the paper bag’s carbon footprint as being equivalent to a standard plastic one.
In line with the UK Plastics Pact launched last year by Wrap, Morrisons has also moved all loose fruit and veg to be sold in paper rather than plastic bags, as well as removing plastic sleeves from several items including cucumbers.
