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A carrier bag levy of 25p that applies to all new carrier bags with a retail price of £5 or less has brought in a total of £14.4 million in its tenth year of opperation. That's according to Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) statistics for 2022/23.
The Single Use Carrier Bags Charge Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2013 commenced on 8 April 2013 with the aim or reducing the use of single use plastic. During the tenth year of operation, 65.0 million carrier bags were dispensed by retailers under the carrier bag levy in Northern Ireland.
The number of lower rate bags dispensed in 2022/23 (costing only the 25 pence) was 28.7 million while the number of upper rate bags dispensed (those costing more than the 25 pence levy and up to five pounds) was 36.2 million.
. The figures relate to the number of bags dispensed by retailers in Northern Ireland between 1 April 2022 and 31 March 2023 as notified to the Department by 30 June 2023. It is available at: www.daera-ni.gov.uk/
Bags which are exempt from the levy, such as those used solely to contain unpackaged raw food or hot foods / hot drinks, are not included in the data.
