the welsh revolution....

On October 1st, Wales becomes the first UK country to charge for single use carrier bags.  The Welsh government estimates that people in Wales currently use 480 million a year, 350 million of which come from the major supermarkets, most of which end up in landfill.

80% of British shoppers put everything into free shopping bags. It's estimated that UK shoppers could go through as many as 60 bags a month which amounts to 720 bags a year, over 43,000 in an average lifetime.

The carrier bag charge applies to all retailers in Wales, not just those who sell groceries. The 5p charge is intended to be high enough to influence consumer behaviour and reduce the number of bags given out, without discouraging shoppers from shopping.

The Welsh government's message is that it's easy to avoid the charge - take a bag with you.

So to the forward thinking people of Wales, all I want to say is:  get a basket!