Marks & Spencer stores across the UK will unveil the latest update on carrier bag charging today, with the launch of a new in-store advertising campaign to mark the success of the scheme so far.

From today, windows in over 150 M&S stores will feature the campaign, which reveals that to date M&S and its customers have reduced carrier bag usage by 80%, helping to reduce plastic waste by saving 100 million carrier bags from landfill. The 5p charge for standard food carrier bags, which was first launched with a trial in Northern Ireland in May 2007 and rolled out across the UK in May 2008, has also raised half a million pounds for charity – with all of the profit* from the charge donated to Groundwork, the environmental charity.

Groundwork is investing this money in creating or improving cleaner, greener urban spaces in communities nationwide through the M&S Green Living Spaces programme. 22 projects are already complete or underway, ranging from creating a new play area at the Gorgie City Farm, Edinburgh to the development of a new community roof garden in Hammersmith, London.

Richard Gillies, M&S Plan A Director, said: “Our customers have made a major impact already by saving 100 million bags and also raising half a million pounds for Groundwork but we know that there is more that we can do. Using our windows to communicate what we have achieved so far is a really powerful way to encourage even more M&S customers to change their behaviour and stop using single-use carrier bags.”

The new window campaign will also be supported by in-store décor in all M&S food halls and on the newly updated Plan A website. This is the first time that M&S has used its store windows to support a social responsibility campaign since it launched its long-running ‘Look behind the label’ campaign in January 2006.

-Ends-

For more details please call:

Clare Wilkes M&S Corporate Press Office 0208 718 8642 / 07831 829 891

Notes to Editors 

o 100 million bags saved and 22 projects launched: total achievements to date, including those made during the Northern Ireland and South West carrier bag charging trials.
o Half and million pounds donated: total achievements to date, including those made during the Northern Ireland and South West carrier bag charging trials and corporate donations.
o *1.85p for every standard food carrier bag and 0.76p per cake bag.
o The 5p charge does not apply to mini food bags and horticultural bags which will be available free of charge on request.
o In January 2007 M&S announced Plan A, a five-year, 100 point business-wide ‘eco plan’. Under this plan, by 2012 M&S aims to become carbon neutral; send no waste to landfill from its operations; extend sustainable sourcing; set new standards in ethical trading and help customers and employees live a healthier lifestyle.
o The new M&S 100% recycled post consumer waste food carrier bag has been developed in conjunction with Papier Mettler.
See www.marksandspencer.com/plana for more information.

About Groundwork
o Groundwork is a national charity working with partners to improve the quality of people's lives and the places where they live, work and play.
o Groundwork's projects help local people get practically involved in making decisions and managing improvements in their neighbourhood and encourage people to make healthier and greener lifestyle choices. This ranges from working with children and young people to create sports facilities and ‘outdoor classrooms’, to providing training and jobs for the long-term unemployed as they regenerate major areas of derelict or waste ground.
o Last year Groundwork supported nearly 6,000 projects across the UK supported by central and local government, businesses, charitable trusts and the National Lottery. As a result of those projects more than 80% of people involved felt their neighbourhood was a better place to live and felt more able to influence decisions affecting their community.
o Groundwork will use the money raised from the carrier bag charges to support local projects in towns and cities across the UK.
See www.groundwork.org.uk for more information.
o Projects in Scotland are being delivered in partnership with the Federation of City Farms and Community Gardens. For more information see www.farmgarden.org.uk

Back to press releases index

Back to top