UK: Changes in Northern Ireland Carrier Bag Levy

28 January 2015

The Carrier Bag Levy was introduced in Northern Ireland on 8 April 2013. Retailers must charge at least 5p for new single use carrier bags.
On 19 January 2015, changes were introduced and the levy applies to all new carrier bags with a retail price below 20p – regardless of whether they are single use or reusable and regardless of the material from which they are made. There is evidence that people purchase significantly more cheap reusable bags when a charge is applied to single use bags. Extending the levy to cheap reusable bags is intended to encourage customers to actively reuse these bags to their full potential and avoid them becoming ‘throwaway’ bags (News Item nidirect).
Click here for the news item.
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