Plastic bags

Waitrose estimates that it gives away 220 million of the 12.4 billion free carrier bags handed out by UK retailers each year. Although a small percentage of the product packaging it handles each year, Waitrose is keen to reduce unnecessary bag use and was the first retailer to introduce a 'Bag for Life' in 1997. Sold to its customers for 10p, bags are replaced free of charge once worn out. All returned, worn out bags are recycled.

Despite the success of our Bags for Life, there are still many customers who use free disposable carrier bags. To encourage them to switch, we regularly run 'Bag for Life' promotions and awareness campaigns in our stores.

In December 2008, the UK Government, the British Retail Consortium and leading supermarkets agreed to a 50% cut in the number of single-use carrier bags given out to customers by spring 2009, measured against a 2006 baseline, in a bid to radically reduce the consumption of single-use carrier bags. Although collectively retailers gave away 420 million fewer single-use carrier bags in May 2009 than May 2006, a reduction of 48%, plastic bags are still a hot topic.

Through promoting our Bag for Life and other reusable bags, Partner training and prominent communications encouraging customers to reuse their existing bags, Waitrose reduced single-use carrier bag usage by 50% in May 2009 compared to May 2006. We remain committed to continuing to reduce their use and environmental impact.