Retail giant Tesco has denied reports it has scrapped plastic bags at its larger stores.

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Reports out today (13 August) suggest Tesco Extra hypermarkets have been ordered only to hand out carrier bags from under the counter to customers who ask for them.


A spokesperson for Tesco told just-food: “The report that we have banned bags is wrong. We have never banned bags and have no plans to do so. We find the carrot and stick method far more effective.”


The retailer said it has introduced a range of “affordable and attractive” reusable bags to make it more appealing for customers to make the switch.


It said the use of disposable plastic bags used by its shoppers in the last month is 40% lower than for the same period two years ago.

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“We have helped our customers cut bag use by 40% without a bag tax adding to the cost of their weekly shop,” said Lucy Neville-Rolfe, corporate and legal affairs director. “Our customers have shown us how keen they are to break this environmentally-damaging habit of a lifetime – the “carrot” approach clearly works.


“Even the most committed greenies occasionally forget to bring their shopping bags with them, so there will always be carrier bags available free of charge. We want to help our customers remember to reuse their bags, rather than punish them when they forget.”


Tesco yesterday announced its intention to develop a wholesale cash-and-carry business in India.


The business, to be based in Mumbai, will benefit from an initial investment of up to GBP60m (US$115) in the first two years.