BY CARLOS FINLAY

WHETHER we like it or not, supermarket shopping now sets us back 5p with every carrier bag we require for our groceries.

Since the law was introduced back in October 2015 to combat environmental damage, plenty of controversy has been caused. But what outcomes have actually arisen from the introduction of this small fee?

Quite simply, Britain has seen an 85 per cent reduction in the consumption of single-use carrier bags since the tax was introduced.

According to the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), the number of plastic bags given out by supermarkets in Britain has decreased from seven billion in 2014 to around 500 million since the law was passed.

In addition to this, every 5p spent has added up to more than £40 million, with almost £30 million to be donated to a variety of charities.

Nonetheless, the carrier bag charge’s main intention was not to raise money for good causes, but to help amend the concerning amount of litter found across Britain and its coastal areas.

Experts have estimated that around eight million tonnes of plastic waste ends up in the ocean every year.

This plastic is often broken down by the sun and ingested by microscopic life in the oceans and predators also easily mistake single-use plastic bags for prey, resulting in fatal amounts being ingested.

So to prevent the griping of customers as they fumble around for a 5p coin in their pockets, reusable shopping bags are highly recommended as a more environmentally-conscious method of shopping.