Carrier bag tax for shoppers

Northern Ireland shoppers will see a 5p tax added to carrier bags next year, as the Government clamps down on the consumption of environmentally-damaging plastic bags. A year later, in 2014, the tax will double to 10p and the same amount will be added to multi-use bags. Northern Ireland is the second region, behind Wales, to levy taxes on the use of plastic carrier bags, and follows the Republic of Ireland that also has an environmental taxation for shoppers. The first rate of taxation will let shoppers get used to the tax and change their habits and ways of shopping.

There is widespread evidence that suggests that plastic carrier bags are a drain on the environment and as it’s made a huge impact in other countries around the world, the UK is following suit. It will mean that shoppers will have to get used to bringing their own plastic bags with them into supermarkets and shops, and therefore the 12 months of 5p taxation will encourage people to change their usual buying habits. The first phase of taxation will enable people to feel the costs accrued if they don’t bring their own bags and will be severely put-off by paying 10p for bags the following year.

The move comes as there is a serious effort to make Northern Ireland more environmentally-friendly and it should have an effect on making it a better place to invest, work and live in. The campaign is needed to be administered in Londonderry and therefore 10 civil servants are needed to relocate there. Northern Ireland wants to jump ahead of the impending law change early on to show its prowess in looking after the environment. As long as the proposed plan follows through, the new 5p carrier bag tax will be implemented in April 2013.