Consultation on proposals to introduce a charge on single use carrier bags in Wales

A charge would be introduced through regulations made under the Climate Change Act 2008.

The Welsh Assembly Government has long considered single use carrier bags a problem and a waste of resources. Our proposals seek to change public behaviour and lead to an improvement in Wales’ environment in a number of ways:

• helping reduce highly visible plastic bag litter;
• substantially reducing the amount of single use carrier bags; and
• encouraging more sustainable behaviour which will help towards combating climate change by increasing environmental awareness.

Update

The new single use carrier bags charge legislation comes into force in Wales on 1 October 2011. After this, single use carrier bags will no longer be given away free when people buy goods.  

For more information on our policies on single-use carrier bags, please visit the Carrier bag charge Wales website.

Visit: Carrier bag charge Wales website (external link)