Marks & Spencer is to roll-out a 5p charge for food carrier bags in all* of its UK stores from the beginning of May to encourage customers to reduce the number of bags they use and to raise money for environmental projects.
All profits generated from the charge will go to environmental charity Groundwork and be used to create or improve ‘greener living spaces’ such as parks, play areas and gardens in neighbourhoods around the UK. It is expected that around 40 neighbourhoods will benefit in the next twelve months.
The unprecedented move follows a successful trial period of charging for food carrier bags in over 50 M&S stores in Northern Ireland and the South West of England**. The trial has seen customers’ use of food carrier bags drop by over 70% and raised over £80,000 for Groundwork. This money is now being invested in six projects across those regions including the development of the Daisy Hill Woodland in Newry, the creation of a play area at the Old Warren Community Centre in Lisburn and improving a green space at Woodhay Road in Plymouth.
Sir Stuart Rose, Chief Executive, Marks & Spencer said:
"This move lies at the heart of our 100-point eco plan, Plan A. We want to make it easy for our customers to do their bit to help the environment and our trials have shown us that they want to take action. Just imagine if M&S customers right across the UK cut the number of food bags they use by 70% – that’s over 280 million bags they’d be saving every year.
"On top of this, our customers will be raising valuable funds to go to our partner charity, Groundwork, to invest in much-needed green spaces in our neighbourhoods."
Tony Hawkhead, Chief Executive, Groundwork, said:
"We are very excited to be working with Marks & Spencer to support Plan A. We all want our neighbourhoods to be cleaner and greener and our experience shows that when a major household name takes the initiative, it can encourage millions of people to change their behaviour. Not only will this scheme reduce the amount of food carrier bags sent to landfill sites but it will also help improve the quality of life in towns and cities across the country."
M&S will launch the national carrier bag charging roll-out in two phases:
- From Sunday 6 April until Monday 5 May customers shopping in M&S stores across England, Scotland and Wales will receive a free M&S Bag for Life (usual cost 10p) with every food transaction***.
- Then from Tuesday 6 May a 5p charge will be introduced for standard food carrier bags****. The Bag for Life will revert to its usual 10p cost and will be replaced free of charge when worn out.
- Also on 6 May M&S will introduce a brand new standard food carrier bag made from 100% post consumer waste in all of its stores – the first bag of its kind to be used by a major UK food retailer nation-wide. This move will reduce the amount of virgin plastic M&S uses by 3,400 tonnes per year***** and comes on top of a 3,300 tonne annual saving that M&S made by converting its Bag for Life, clothing and home carrier bags to 100% recycled post consumer waste in April 2007.
The national roll-out of carrier bag charging is a major step towards M&S’ Plan A commitments to aim to reduce carrier bag usage by a third and send no waste to landfill from its operations by 2012. Plan A, M&S’ business-wide, £200 million ‘eco-plan’, was launched in January 2007.******
Notes
- * Excluding M&S stores that do not sell food: M&S Outlet stores, M&S Speke and the M&S Home store in Lisburn.
- **Since June 2007, M&S has been trialling charging for carrier bags in its stores in Northern Ireland. Over a six month period the trial saw carrier bag usage reduced by 70% across the Province and raised over £80,000 for Groundwork to invest in local environmental projects.
- The trial was extended to 35 M&S stores across the South West early this year. In the first three weeks of the trial carrier bag usage has been reduced by over 70% and over £4,300 has been raised for Groundwork to invest in local environmental projects.
- ***Excluding M&S stores in the South West of England and Northern Ireland where charging is already in place and M&S Outlet stores.
- ****Excluding mini food bags and horticultural bags which will be available free of charge on request.
- ***** Based on current M&S standard food carrier bag usage.
- ******In January 2007 M&S announced Plan A, a five-year, 100 point business-wide ‘eco plan’. Under this plan, by 2012 M&S aims to become carbon neutral; send no waste to landfill from its operations; extend sustainable sourcing; set new standards in ethical trading and help customers and employees live a healthier lifestyle.
- The new M&S 100% recycled post consumer waste food carrier bag has been developed in conjunction with Papier Mettler.
- See www.marksandspencer.com/plana for more information.
About Groundwork
- Groundwork is a national charity working with partners to improve the quality of people's lives and the places where they live, work and play.
- Groundwork's projects help local people get practically involved in making decisions and managing improvements in their neighbourhood and encourage people to make healthier and greener lifestyle choices. This ranges from working with children and young people to create sports facilities and ‘outdoor classrooms’, to providing training and jobs for the long-term unemployed as they regenerate major areas of derelict or waste ground.
- Last year Groundwork supported nearly 6,000 projects across the UK supported by central and local government, businesses, charitable trusts and the National Lottery. As a result of those projects more than 80% of people involved felt their neighbourhood was a better place to live and felt more able to influence decisions affecting their community.
- Groundwork will use the money raised from the carrier bag charges to support local projects in towns and cities across the UK.
- See www.groundwork.org.uk for more information.
The six M&S / Groundwork ‘greener living spaces’ projects currently underway are:
Northern Ireland:
Daisy Hill Woodland (Newry)
- To encourage community involvement in the maintenance and development of Daisy Hill Woodland as a community resource.
- In recent years the woodland has become a focal point for various anti-social activities.
- The carrier bag money will help to get local people involved in clearing the land and planting trees in the hope that people will begin to use the woodland as a recreational & educational resource
Glencairn Daycare Centre (Belfast)
- The carrier bag money will fund the development of a landscaped seating area within the ground of a day care centre.
- Currently the older people who use the centre have to sit in the car park in the summer months.
Shantallow Community Recreation Project (Derry)
- Shantallow is a large housing estate on the outskirts of Derry city.
- The money for this project will be used to build on a number of recent improvements to recreational facilities in the area. Activities will include, developing a mini-golf course to complement other recreational facilities in the area and providing an inter-generational activity, which will give adults and children a positive activity to enjoy together.
Old Warren Community Centre (Lisburn)
- Old Warren is a large housing estate on the outskirts of Lisburn.
- The community are currently in the process of developing a new centre at the heart of the estate.
- The carrier bag money will create an environmental play area with seating for young children and their parents.
South West:
Mancroft Park (Bristol)
- Mancroft Park in Lawrence Weston in Bristol is a valuable community resource, which provides a selection of predated play facilities.
- Over the years the park has fallen into a state of disrepair and a new initiative has been put in place to create a new playground.
- This project will work with children and young people to design and build a piece of bespoke play equipment for the park using traditional wood working techniques and locally sourced timber.
Woodhay Road Garden Project (Plymouth)
- North Prospect in Plymouth is ranked as one of the most deprived wards within the UK where over 35% of the population is made up of children and young people.
- The funding will turn a large garden in a local neighbourhood into a community space for all residents and young people to enjoy incorporating a sandpit, fruit trees, plants to attract butterflies and seating boulders.
