Following a Government consultation in August 2020 regarding ‘Single use carrier bags’ the following changes have been proposed to the Single Use Carrier Bags Charges (England) (Amendment) Order 2021 will make the following changes:

• The minimum amount that sellers must charge for a single use carrier bag (SUCB) will increase from 5 pence to 10 pence.

• The obligation to charge for SUCB will be extended to all retailers and the exemption for airport retailers from charging for SUCB will be removed.

• The current “sunset clause” will be removed.

• Provisions relating to the review of the 2015 Order and excluded bags will be updated. 

Reporting requirements on the number of SUCB sold annually will not be extended to micro, small and medium sized enterprises (those with less than 250 employees), in order to minimise additional burdens.

These new charges are subject to parliamentary approval and are anticipate they will come into force at the end of April, or early May.

A fixed date cannot be provided at this point, as a date for the parliamentary debates is still yet to be confirmed.

The NFFF will continue to provide further updates once they are provided.