Dave and Anne Le Page arrived at Checkers ready to shop without carriers and were happy to do their bit for the environment. (Picture by Steve Sarre, 0575364)

A NEW era in shopping in the Channel Islands dawned yesterday with the end of free plastic bags. Shoppers appeared to support an initiative which is backed by all major food retailers to charge 5p for each bag.

Most brought their own or bought bags for life while others just carried their goods out of the supermarket. The end of free plastic carriers was announced in March after a meeting between Guernsey and Jersey’s Environment Departments, food retailers and the Guernsey Climate Action Network – which spearheaded the move.

Currently more than 10 million bags a year are used in Guernsey alone and Checkers spokesman Mark Cox said the initiative had been driven by the consumer. ‘We have seen a large reduction in the number being given out in recent months,’ he said. ‘We won’t have plastic bags on display but if people do need them, they can ask at the till.’