Plastic bags now cost 25p in Northern Ireland
That's 5 times more expensive than the previous cost
A price increase kicks in today that’ll affect shoppers across Northern Ireland.
Single-use plastic bags now cost 25p, which is 5 times more expensive than the previous cost of 5p.
Proceeds from the carrier bag levy go to Stormont's Agri and Environment department, which reinvests the money into environmental projects.
Announcing the news in back in November, Environment Minister Edwin Poots said, “Whilst the existing Carrier Bag Levy has been successful in already removing over 1.7 billion bags from circulation, I am aware that a significant number of retailers in NI are selling large volumes of heavy duty bags at a cost of 20 pence or more each.”
“These are now flooding the market and are not being reused, with harmful environmental consequences. This announcement today will go some way towards making Northern Ireland a cleaner and more pleasant place in which to live, by ensuring that proceeds from the Levy are re-invested in supporting the wider NI environmental sector.”
Meanwhile, as the new levy kicks in in the midst of a cost of living crisis, Retail NI is reminding consumers to be ready for the increase.
Retail NI Chief Executive Glyn Roberts said, “We absolutely agree on the objective to reduce the level of plastic in circulation as well as the levels that continue to litter our streets. Retail NI members have led the way in in reducing plastic packaging and promoting bag for life options”
“Retail NI argued for the 5p charge to be increased to a more realistic figure of 10p in line with what is being proposed in England and Scotland. We believe this increase to 25p will disproportionally impact on working families who are struggling with the cost of living crisis”
“However, we will work with DAERA on its implementation and urge them to keep this policy under review”
“As is the case in Wales, we would now like to see responsibility given to our members to allow them to decide on what local environmental projects the proceeds of the levy, that they administer, is spent on”
“Successive Environment and DAERA Ministers have never consulted local retailers on how the proceeds of the levy is spent. We want to empower our members to make the decisions themselves on how best to spend the levy which they collect”