M&S to Charge 5p per Plastic Bag

Marks and Spencer will charge food customers 5p for every plastic carrier bag they use, the chain announced today. The charge is aimed at reducing demand for the bags, which campaigners say damage the environment. Marks and Spencer said money raised from the levy would be spent on improving parks and play areas across the country. Around 13bn plastic bags, which experts say can take up to 1,000 years to decay, are given free to UK shoppers every year.