Single-use plastic bag charge doubles to 10p in Scotland

Rules to increase the minimum cost of single-use carrier bags in Scotland to 10p have come into force.

MSPs backed a move to double the 5p price earlier this year but it was delayed by the coronavirus pandemic.

The Scottish government has said it is important to increase the charge periodically to encourage the use of reusable options instead.

The 5p charge was introduced in 2014, with plastic bag usage dropping by 80% by the following year.

The price increase has been backed by environmental groups.

Friends of the Earth Scotland's Sarah Moyes said: "The huge success of the charge so far in cutting plastic waste shows the importance of targeted government action in protecting the environment.

"The plastic industry opposed these moves but time has once again shown them to have been in the wrong.

"In order to fully tackle Scotland's plastic crisis, we need the Scottish government to move quickly to bring forward further action including the forthcoming ban on environmentally harmful single-use items like plastic straws, plates and cutlery."

Environment Secretary Roseanna Cunningham previously told MSPs that charging "had already affected a massive change in the use of these carrier bags".

She said: "We know there are very significant benefits, we have seen them already, and I would imagine we will go on seeing them."