New data on supermarket carrier bag use

28 July 2011

The figure compares with 10.7 billion single-use bags being used in 2006 when figures were first recorded (an overall reduction of 40%). However, it represents a 5% increase compared to the total number of single-use bags used in 2009/2010 when 6.1 billion bags were used.

The figures show that on average people now use 8.6 single-use bags per month, compared to 14.7 bags per month back in 2006 and 8.2 bags per month between June 2009 and May 2010. There are differences across the nations of the UK with Northern Ireland recording the lowest bag use per person.

Overall, a total of 6.8 billion carrier bags (including single-use, bags-for-life and reusable bags such as those made from cotton and jute) were used in 2010. This figure compares with 10.9 billion bags being used in 2006 (an overall reduction of 37%).  However, it represents a 6% increase compared to the total number of bags used in 2009/2010 when 6.5 billion bags were used. 

There has been a 61% reduction in the amount of virgin polymer used in all carrier bags since 2006, indicating that bags contain more recycled content.

The figures are set against a back-drop of 8% sales volume growth by participating supermarkets between 2006 and 2010. 

Context

In 2008 the UK Governments, the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and leading supermarkets agreed to a voluntary approach to cut the number of single-use bags given to customers by 50% by spring 2009. 

In May 2009, when the formal agreement ended, WRAP reported that retailers had cut the number of single-use bags by 48%.  There is no current sector target for carrier bag use in place although there is an agreement to provide figures to WRAP on an annual basis. 

WRAP’s role has been to monitor the progress of the agreement through data collection and analysis, and to report carrier bag use across the sector as a whole.   

The following tables show:
1.  Annual figures for total bag use for 2006, 2009/10 and 2010
2.  Annual figures for single-use bags for 2006, 2009/2010 and 2010
3.  Figures for average monthly single-use bag use per person
Note: rounding may cause discrepancies between the figures

1.  Annual figures for total bag use

2.  Annual figures for single-bag use

*Following changes in retailer reporting, national splits should be regarded as indicative only.  To better understand changes in national carrier bag use, all the main supermarket retailers would need to report carrier bag use split by nation.

3. Figures for average monthly single-use bag use per person