- England's plastic bag purchases rose by seven per cent to 437 million in the last year, marking the first increase in a decade since the introduction of charges.
- The surge in plastic bag use is primarily attributed to the rise in online shopping, with waste charity Wrap highlighting the packing methods used by internet retailers.
- Online supermarket Ocado accounted for 221 million of the plastic bags sold, representing 51 per cent of the UK total, citing growth in their customer base.
- Major supermarkets, including Co-op, Morrisons, and Sainsbury's, also reported an increase in single-use plastic bag sales.
- Retailers like Ocado, Sainsbury's, and Morrisons are implementing or expanding closed-loop recycling systems and moving towards paper or bagless delivery options to address the issue.
IN FULL
