Discount greetings cards retailer Card Factory has chopped the handles off thousands of its carrier bags as a way to sidestep the government’s 5p bag tax.
From October, English shoppers have had to pay the charge for throwaway plastic carrier bags from large store chains under a scheme to protect the environment.
The charge, which retailers have to pass on to charity, only relates to a particular type of bag – thin gauge with handles.
A spokesperson for Card Factory told trade journal PRW (formerly Plastics & Rubber Weekly): “The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has confirmed that not charging for bags without handles complies with the regulations as they stand.”
Shops proper stingin on these bags, Card Factory's ent even got handles, which to me is more like a sack, not a bag. pic.twitter.com/mN4pn6hKSw
— april (@apriltheband) November 16, 2015
It is understood that the retailer still offers some bags with handles for a 5p charge, but has cut the handles off thousands of bags to give its shoppers a free alternative.
The government introduced the bag tax in England to bring the country in line with Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, which already operate similar levies.
Since the English tax was introduced, Tesco has reported a 78% fall in use of single-use bags, while Asda has reported an overall reduction in single-use carriers across Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland of more than 90% since those countries brought in levies.
But there have also been reports of thousands of bags being stolen by shoppers trying to dodge the charge.
