Health charity calls on X-mas shoppers to reuse plastic bags

A healthcare charity is calling on shoppers across the country to take heed of its campaign to reuse their plastic bags in the run up to Christmas so that it can save £35,000. Sue Ryder Cares Bring Our Bag Back campaign aims to encourage responsible shopping by encouraging people to cut down on plastic bag usage. The charity currently spends £100,000 a year on plastic bags and believes it can save £35,000 if customers reused their bags. The campaign has been launched nationwide this month following a trial period in June across Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire. The pilot scheme for the Bring Our Bag Back campaign reported a 35% reduction in plastic bag use. Business development manager Kay Barnes said: Sue Ryder Care is committed to reducing the amount of plastic carrier bags. Our aim mirrors the British Retail Consortiums targets to reduce the amount of carrier bags by 25% by 2008. Any money we save as a result of the campaign will be ploughed straight back into delivering Sue Ryder Cares specialist neurological and palliative care across the UK. The move by the charity comes at a time when several cities, towns and villages, including London, across the UK plan to ban plastic bags from shops. Image: Sue Ryder Care business development manager Kay Burnes and Bring Our Bag Back (BOBB)