“By 2014 Scottish retailers will charge a minimum of 5p per bag in a bid to reduce carrier bag use.

Environment Secretary Richard Lochhead announced the move today which follows a consultation that was held last year to gauge public opinion. He said shoppers would be encouraged to reuse carrier bags to cut down on the 750 million bags used in Scotland each year.”

The Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland and Wales have already introduced such a charge.

More on this can be found here.