Plastic bag sales have increased for the first time in a decade thanks to a boom in online shopping.
Last year some 437 million single-use plastic carrier bags were bought in England, 7 per cent more than the 407 million bought in 2023, according to data from the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).
It is the first time sales of plastic bags have increased since a 5p charge was imposed on them by retailers in 2015.
Wrap, a waste charity, explained that the growth of internet sales (which represents around 27 per cent of all retail sales) has led to this staggering increase in plastic bag use.
Expert and Wrap consultant, Thomas Baker, explained: ‘The growth of internet sales and methods used to pack items for online deliveries has contributed to the increase in single-use plastic carrier bags’.
