Mixed bag of views over new 10p charge - with video

Shoppers will have to pay 10p for a carrier bag at all stores across England under plans set out by the Environment Secretary Michael Gove.

The current 5p charge will be doubled and will apply at all shops, not just large retailers, under the measures aimed at curbing plastic consumption.

An estimated 3.6 billion single-use bags are supplied annually by smaller retailers which are exempt from the current 5p bag levy.

Braving the sales, many were armed with their own re-usable bags and welcomed the proposals which could come in to force in 2020.

Nikki Anderson, a company director from Shrewsbury added: "I really think it is a good idea.

"I always come shopping with re-usable bags.

"Shops do need to start using paper bags more.

"You will get a mix of people who do not give a damn and others that think we should do more.

"But on the whole people are more on board with it."

Nursery nurse, Bethan Bissell, from Shrewsbury, said: "I think that it is great the way the supermarkets have dealt with it.

"You rarely see people without their bags now. We are behind Scotland, Ireland and Wales on this though and we need to catch up.

"Perhaps this will help towards that. It is the right thing to do."

Retirees Ann and Dave Jones, from Telford, enjoy shopping in Shrewsbury as they prefer to buy local and find it easier to do so in the county town.

They have made a concerted effort to do without plastic and are encouraged by the news of the price increase but think that more shops do more.

"We decided not to buy anything that came in plastic packaging a few months ago and it has proved difficult," said Dave.

"The shops should stop providing plastic bags and then people would have to find some other alternative to put their shopping in."

New mum Laura Burrows, from Shrewsbury, said she thought that the cost of a bag should be higher.

"If they made it higher, then it would make more of an impact," she said.

"It needs to keep increasing to make any difference.

"Perhaps we need more paper bags; Primark are ahead of the game.

"I think they should just increase the cost or find an alternative."

Andrew Mason, a bank worker from Shrewsbury, was enjoying a spot of shopping with his son and had brought his own bag along for all his purchases.

"It is fantastic news and it will make people focus on everyday use of plastic," he said.

"Since the 5p charge came in usage has gone down dramatically and doubling the charge now will only encourage that further.

"Supermarkets should now be making an effort to reduce plastic packaging but I don't think it is realistic to do away with it totally."

What are the government's plans?

• The changes, which could come into effect in January 2020, are contained in a consultation which has been launched by the Government.

• The current 5p charge will be doubled and will apply at all shops, not just large retailers, under the measures aimed at curbing plastic consumption.

• An estimated 3.6 billion single-use bags are supplied annually by smaller retailers which are exempt from the current 5p bag levy.

• Trade bodies representing around 40,000 small retailers have already launched a voluntarily approach to a 5p charge, but this accounts for less than one-fifth of England’s estimated 253,000 small and medium-sized enterprises.

• In August, Theresa May promised there would be a consultation on changes to the levy by the end of the year despite reported opposition from the Treasury and Philip Hammond.

• The 5p levy was introduced in England in 2015, with the money raised going to good causes rather than government coffers.