We have been talking with the Welsh Government about their plans to ban single-use carrier bags in Wales. The implementation date for this ban is yet to be determined, but it could arrive as early as the start of 2026.
For shops, this would mean expecting customers to bring bags with them or providing them with alternatives such as paper bags or heavier plastic “bags for life” which are designed for reuse and so less likely to be disposed of by customers after being used just once. The planned ban on single-use plastic carrier bags follows the ban on a wide range of other single-use plastic items back in 2023. The intent behind the bans is to eliminate items which are commonly littered and often end up polluting our seas.
There will be exemptions to the ban on plastic carrier bags relating to food and health and safety reasons, but these are unlikely to apply in a charity shop setting. It is expected that the ban will only apply to thinner plastic bags that are 49 microns thick or less (about 1/20th of a mm in thickness). It is unlikely that biodegradable plastic bags will be exempted and so these would also be covered by the ban.
We have put the case to Government officials that the ban should only apply to plastic carrier bags that are new and unused. This would mean that bags that have already been used would be exempt. If they accept this change then it would preserve the ability of charity shops to give out plastic carrier bags to shoppers which donors have previously used to bring in their donations.
If you have concerns about the upcoming ban or have questions on its impact, then please get in touch with Jonathan Mail, our Head of Public Affairs: jonathan@charityretail.org.uk.
