ON Monday 5th October, intu Lakeside will be giving out 500 Bags for Life to customers in response to the introduction of the UK government’s plastic bag tax policy. For the shoppers that visit the center on Monday 5th October with their own re-usable bags intu Lakeside will be offering up to £100 worth of gift cards in varying denominations to lucky customers who pop into the customer lounge to pick up one of our bags (or show they brought their own). From this date, intu Lakeside’s large retailers will introduce a 5p charge on all single-use plastic bags, aimed at reducing the 57,000 tonnes of single-use plastic bags given out by retailers across the UK each year.
In 2013, UK retailers gave out over 8 billion single-use carrier bags which equates to nearly 130 bags per person. Discarded plastic bags are a hazard to wildlife and can last for very long periods of time in landfill sites, and a recent survey* found that 80% of shoppers think that the policy will have a significant effect on waste. By offering Bags for Life, intu Lakeside will help shoppers to make small changes to their shopping habits which in turn will make a huge difference to the environment. With the new tax, shoppers could save up to £16 per year if they choose to use re-usable bags.
In addition to offering Bags for Life intu Lakeside will begin displaying signage throughout the centre, reminding shoppers to bring their own bags if they would like to avoid the new charge. While some of intu Lakeside’s retailers will offer reusable bags for purchase as an alternative to single-use plastic carrier bags, the government is encouraging retailers to donate all proceeds raised through the policy to local causes within the Essex community. intu Lakeside’s giveaway and signage scheme is a pilot programme for the business and if well received, will be extended across all intu’s centres nationwide.
Donna Callander, Marketing Manager at intu Lakeside says “The plastic bag tax is a really positive step in the war against waste and we are looking forward to seeing how the new policy will influence both waste reduction in Essex, as well as the fundraising efforts of some of Essex’s local causes. Although some of our retailers already implement their own strategies to tackle bag waste, we know that waste disposal methods have a major impact so we fully endorse the policy. The plastic bag tax is a big change for our customers however, so our giveaways and reminders throughout the store will aim to ensure that shoppers are prepared and informed about how they can make a difference.”
intu stores nation-wide will be implementing this charge as part of the plastic bag policy.
