Welsh carrier bag charge

Background

In October 2011 the Welsh Assembly introduced legislation to reduce the number of single use carrier bags given away by retailers, and thereby:

• Helping to tackle climate change.
• Reducing litter.
• Protecting wildlife.
• Saving the natural resources that are used to make and distribute bags.
• Encouraging people to reuse their bags.

The legislation requires retailers to charge a minimum of 5p for single use carrier bags.

More information on the legislation can be found at www.wales.gov.uk

The legislation fits with The Waitrose way philosophy of 'Treading lightly' and Waitrose fully supports the decision to promote the wider use of reusable bags to encourage sustainability and cut down on waste and litter. As such we offer:

• A large selection of reusable bags that can be purchased from our local stores.
• The choice of bagless delivery for all online orders.
• The facility for our drivers to take your used carrier bags away for recycling.

Shopping at Waitrose branches and petrol filling stations in Wales

At the checkout the cashier will ask if you require bags. If you do not have your own bags, you will be offered the choice of a Bag for Life that costs 10p or a single use carrier bag at 5p.

Shop in Branch, We Deliver

At the checkout you can choose to have your shopping delivered bagless, in your own carrier bags or you can purchase Waitrose carrier bags at the checkout.

• If you choose bagless your delivery will arrive in crates and the driver will take away the crates once the shopping has been unpacked. If you provide your own bags at the checkout then Waitrose will deliver your shopping in these bags.
• If you would like to purchase carrier bags at the checkout cashier will ask you how many bags you require. Waitrose will then charge 5p for each carrier bag requested.
• If you would like to reuse your own bags, simply hand them to the cashier who will use them to pack your shopping.

Shop Online, We Deliver

You can choose to have your online order delivered bagless, or in carrier bags.

• If you choose bagless, your delivery will arrive in crates, and once unpacked the driver will take away the crates.
• If you choose to have your delivery in carrier bags, Waitrose will charge 5p for every £13.86 of shopping ordered*.

Shop Online, You Collect

You can choose to have your collection bagless, or in carrier bags.

• If you choose to have a bagless collection, you will need to bring your own carrier bags to the branch. A Waitrose partner will then pack your order into your carrier bags.
• If you choose to have your collection already prepared in carrier bags, Waitrose will charge 5p for every £13.86 of shopping ordered*.

* We have developed this charging calculation after conducting research on more than 10,000 Waitrose online orders. Our data shows that an average carrier bag in a Waitrose online order contains £13.86 of shopping and this is the assumption we use to inform us how much to charge for carrier bags for your online order.
(Example: If you order £100 of online shopping we know that typically this will require 7 carrier bags. We will, therefore, charge you 35p which is the equivalent of 7 bags at a cost of 5p each).

Charity donations

Waitrose will donate all proceeds from carrier bag charges to Welsh charities and good causes. We are in the process of deciding which organisations to support and intend to publish these by 31st December 2011.

From April 2012, we will publish an annual summary of carrier bag sales in Waitrose branches in Wales on waitrose.com,. This information will include:

1. The total number of single use carrier bags charged for.
2. The gross (total) amount received from charging for single use carrier bags.
3. The gross (total) proceeds of the charge.
4. The net proceeds of the charge.
5. A breakdown of the difference between the gross and net proceeds including the deduction of VAT.
6. 6.A summary of how Waitrose has donated the net proceeds

The first reporting year for the charge will run from 1 October 2011 until 6 April 2012. Subsequent reporting years will run from 7 April to 6 April.