evidence: There have been recent changes in the policy landscape for single-use plastics within the UK. In 2022, plans were announced for a ban on single-use plastic plates, trays, bowls, cutlery, balloon sticks, and certain types of polystyrene cups and food containers, to be effective from October 2023 (UK Government, 2023) and previous bills to restrict the use of single-use plastic drink stirrers, straws and cotton-buds (enforced in October 2020) . This has followed the five pence single-use carrier bag charge (now 10 pence minimum), which led to a decrease in plastic bag sales of 95% from 2015 to 2021 (Defra Press Office, 2021). In Northern Ireland (NI), since 1st April 2022, the single-use carrier bag levy increased to 25 pence (NI Government, 2022). Since the levy was introduced in NI, more than £19 million has been raised and used to support local environmental projects (BBC News, 2020).