Ocado has announced plans to eliminate all plastic bags from its operations by 2024, following a rise in single-use plastic bag sales across England for the first time in a decade. The online grocer sold 221 million plastic bags in 2024, an increase of 30 million from the previous year, making it the worst offender among supermarkets. The company attributed the rise to an increase in customer numbers.
According to data from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, shoppers in England bought 437 million single-use plastic carrier bags in 2024, up 7% from 407 million in 2023. This marks the first increase since the introduction of a 5p charge in 2015, which was later raised to 10p in 2021. The waste charity Wrap linked the rise to the growth of online grocery shopping and packing methods.
Co-op sold 94 million bags, though the retailer noted they are 100% compostable. Morrisons sold 58 million and Sainsbury's 11 million. Both Ocado and Morrisons offer bag return schemes, with refund rates of 89% and 88% respectively. Sainsbury's attributed its 2.5 million bag increase to on-demand deliveries via apps like Just Eat and has switched to paper bags.
The rise in plastic bag sales coincides with broader concerns over plastic pollution. The Marine Conservation Society reported a 9.5% increase in plastic waste collected on beaches in 2024 compared to 2023, with nearly half from public sources. A Defra spokesperson said the government is committed to reducing plastic reliance and noted the plastic bag charge remains effective.
Ocado's spokesperson stated: 'Our approach to deliveries is designed to minimise emissions and waste... We were the first retailer to introduce a closed-loop recycling system for plastic bags in 2015.' The company aims to phase out all plastic bags by 2024, though the specific timeline and methods have not been detailed.
