Study shows supermarkets have increased use of plastic bags

Environmental campaigners name Asda and Sainsbury's as least eco-aware supermarkets

Asda and Sainsbury's have increased their use of plastic bags in the last year, a study by The Grocer magazine has revealed.

Although customers have become more aware of the importance of using environmentally friendly bags for their shopping, or alternatively re-using old carrier bags, the supermarkets have been shown to pack as little as two items in a bag when delivering shopping bought online.

The research looked at the number of carrier bags supermarkets used when delivering thirty-three items bought online. Sainsbury's and Asda proved to be the least eco-aware, with the delivery from Asda using 15 bags. Sainsbury's averaged three items a bag, with 11 bags in total.

Not all of the supermarkets proved as wasteful though. Tesco used four bags and Waitrose just five.

Environmental groups expressed their concern at the findings. Director of charity Waste Watch, Peter Robinson commented to The Independent: 'All the evidence suggests that when consumers are given a choice they increasingly reject unnecessary packaging. Supermarkets need to take responsibility for giving them that choice even when it comes to buying online.'