Plastic Pollution: Morrisons To Trial 20p Paper Bags

Morrisons is introducing a reusable 20p paper bag as part of an eight-week trial in eight of its stores.

The supermarket chain will also trial increasing the cost of its reusable plastic carrier bag to 15p, in a bid to reduce the plastic used by customers.

Since the plastic bag charge was introduced, supermarket customers' bag use has reduced by more than 85%.

Environment Secretary Michael Gove has set up a consultation on raising the cost of plastic bags in England.

The Morrisons trial will take place across stores in England, Wales, Scotland and Gibraltar. The supermarket chain said reducing plastic was their customers' top environmental concern. 

But some retailers have warned paper bags also come with their own environmental challenges.

Waitrose said it was not currently introducing a paper bag because "it can take three times more energy to make a paper bag than a plastic one".

The production of paper bags uses more energy and creates more CO2 emissions than the manufacture of plastic bags.

But paper decomposes much more quickly, while plastic can remain part of the environment for hundreds of years, causing damage to animals and marine life.