UK retailer Waitrose will swap plastic bags for fruit and vegetables for a compostable alternative and introduce 5p plastic shopping bags in 2019 . Waitrose said a trial of the compostable alternative would be carried out across selected stores , while the 5p plastic bags will be removed from six stores initially , beginning on 8 October , before both schemes are rolled out nationally next year . The supermarket said the move would lead to an annual saving of 500 tonnes of waste . Tor Harris said: “The removal of these bags will change the way our customers, many of whom have been asking us to do this, shop with us in the future. The announcement followed the removal of takeaway disposable cups earlier this year .
UK retailer Waitrose will swap plastic bags for fruit and vegetables for a compostable alternative and introduce 5p plastic shopping bags in 2019 . Waitrose said a trial of the compostable alternative would be carried out across selected stores , while the 5p plastic bags will be removed from six stores initially , beginning on 8 October , before both schemes are rolled out nationally next year . The supermarket said the move would lead to an annual saving of 500 tonnes of waste . The announcement followed the removal of takeaway disposable cups earlier this year .