Shoppers can get a free replacement for worn-out bags for life at major supermarkets, including Tesco, by asking one simple question at the customer service desk.
The trick applies to bags for life bought from Asda, Marks and Spencer, Morrisons, and Sainsbury's, as well as Tesco. Jordon Cox, also known as CouponkidUK, explained: "Did you know if your bags for life from one of these supermarkets split or get damaged, you can take it back to the customer service desk and get a brand new one? They recycle the old one, and you get a new one for completely free."
How the free bag replacement works
Cox added: "Round up all your battered ones at home, and take them all back at one time… saves you multiple trips." This means customers can exchange multiple damaged bags in a single visit rather than making several journeys.
The offer is part of the rules around the single-use carrier bag charge introduced in England, which requires retailers of any size to charge a minimum of 10 pence for single-use carrier bags. Wales introduced a mandatory 5p charge in 2011, with Northern Ireland and Scotland following in 2013 and 2014 respectively.
What the law says about bags for life
According to the Government website, retailers must charge a minimum of 10 pence per bag (including VAT) for single-use carrier bags that are unused, plastic and 70 microns thick or less, and have handles, an opening and are not sealed. Only large retailers, employing 250 or more full-time equivalent employees, are required to record and report the number of single-use carrier bags they sell.
However, the charge does not apply to woven plastic bags or multiple reuse bags (bags for life) when replacing them free of charge, if originally sold for 10 pence or more. A returnable multiple reuse bag must be sold for 10 pence or more, be suitable for reuse, and be replaced free of charge if returned when worn out.
Impact of the carrier bag charge
The charge has had a significant effect on plastic bag usage. Plastic bag usage plummeted by more than 98 per cent, with more than 7 billion harmful plastic bags not being used. The average person in England now buys just two single-use carrier bags a year from Asda, Marks and Spencer, Morrisons, and Sainsbury's, compared with around 140 in 2014 before the charge was introduced.
Since the government introduced the charge, it has generated nearly £190 million for good causes, and the number of single-use plastic carrier bags used in the main supermarkets has fallen by over 7 billion, a reduction of over 95 per cent. Retailers are expected to donate all proceeds to good causes, particularly environmental causes, after deducting reasonable costs.
