Plastic bag sales in England increased for the first time in a decade, reaching 437 million bags in the past year, up from 407 million the previous year, a rise of 7%. This data was reported by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). The upward trend marks the first sales increase since 2015, coinciding with the implementation of a 5p charge on single-use plastic bags. Although this charge was paused during the pandemic, it was raised to 10p in 2021.
The charity Wrap attributed this increase in plastic bag sales to the growth of online grocery shopping, particularly the packaging methods used for deliveries. Ocado emerged as the leading supermarket for plastic bag sales, selling 221 million bags, an increase of 30 million from the previous year. The Co-op followed with 94 million bags, noting that its bags are 100% compostable. Morrisons and Sainsbury’s sold 58 million and 11 million bags, respectively. Both Ocado and Morrisons indicated that customers can recycle bags by returning them through grocery delivery services.
Despite the initial impact of the levy, which saw a significant decrease in bag sales from over 7.6 billion, there are concerns regarding the rising trends in plastic bag usage. Additionally, a report from the Marine Conservation Society indicated a 9.5% increase in plastic waste found on beaches in 2024, compared to the previous year. The report revealed that nearly half of this waste originated from public sources, highlighting the ongoing issues related to plastic pollution.
In response to increasing demand for quick deliveries, Sainsbury’s and Morrisons have made operational changes, such as switching to paper bags and using small crates for deliveries in certain regions. A DEFRA spokesperson reaffirmed the government’s commitment to reducing plastic reliance, referencing the effectiveness of the plastic bag charge.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/aug/25/ocado-worst-plastic-bags-total-single-use-sales-rise