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# 5p bag charge to be rolled out in all shops across England to combat 'throwaway culture'
- URL: https://www.birminghameastside.co.uk/5p-bag-charge-to-be-rolled-out-in-all-shops-across-england-to-combat-throwaway-culture/
- Published: 2018-01-11T15:59:02.000Z
- Updated: 2018-01-11T15:59:02.000Z
- Author: Birmingham Eastside
- Tags: News, Environment, #Migrated-1786701253228, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2026-08-14 09:54

![A pile of plastic bags discarded on grass land](http://birminghameastside.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Plastic-Bag.jpg)

The **5p charge** for plastic bags is set to be extended to all shops across England, not just major retailers.

The government announced the plans on **Thursday 11th January** as part of a [**25-year plan**](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/25-year-environment-plan?ref=birminghameastside.co.uk) to tackle environmental issues.

Previously, shops or chains with fewer than **250 employees** were exempt from having to charge customers for a carrier bag, but shoppers are concerned that this government plan to cut waste could end up having a negative impact on small businesses.

Birmingham shopper **Alisdair Cox**, 25 says:

> "If you're buying something and they aren't giving you anything to carry it with, people are more likely to just shop online and cut out the high street altogether".

**Environmental Secretary Michael Gove** told the cabinet that this was move was put in place to combat our ‘throwaway culture’, after speaking in December about how images of polluted oceans shown on BBC documentary ***‘Blue Planet’*** had “haunted” him.

Since the introduction of the carrier bag charge in **2015**, England has seen a **90% reduction** in the use of plastic bags.

![An infographic about plastic bag waste](http://birminghameastside.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Plastic-bags-infographic-2.jpg)

Infographic by Victoria Oliveres Torrescassana

Notably missing from the government’s environmental plan was the so-called ‘latte levy’, a [25p charge on disposable coffee cups](http://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2018/01/11/government-will-consider-25p-latte-levy-disposable-coffee-cups/?ref=birminghameastside.co.uk) designed to encourage manufacturers to invent a recyclable alternative.

Gove has said that the government will consider the recommendation made by the **Commons Environmental Audit Committee** but the effectiveness needs to be tested before it’s rolled out nationwide.

The extended charge has been met with mixed reactions from the public in Birmingham:

Should the 5p plastic bag charge be extended to all shops?

Yes

No

[Poll Maker](http://www.poll-maker.com/?ref=birminghameastside.co.uk)