Carrier Bags: a Tax?

Is charging for carrier bags a tax on impromptu shopping?

While I was in Reading earlier today I had a sudden urge to buy some cheese scones from Marks & Spencer. There followed a moment of panic as I couldn’t find them…they are a favourite and once I get the idea in my mind it can become obsessional. No problem though, someone had swapped their shelf place with the fruit scones.

As I had not planned to buy anything I had no bags with me. Is it therefore right that I should pay 5p for a carrier bag. By my estimation M&S would make a large profit on the deal. And more importantly:

Plan A: We should cease impromptu shopping.
Plan B: Marks & Spencer should rethink their high and mighty salvation of the world campaign.

Take your pick.

Lauren and Sarah, you can add your opinions as well 🙂

Postscript: July 2020

How times move on. I’ve got used to the bag rules and still happily buy cheese scones from M&S. That said, I have more than one daughter that can make a cheese scone as good, if not better, than Marks and Spencer.

Kevin Harrington

I’m a UK-based B2B marketing consultant, specialising in strategic advice for SME business owners. I bring extensive hands-on expertise to every client engagement. Senior leadership roles across technology, media, payments, and publishing have shaped my practical approach. Highlights include serving as Chief Marketing Officer at The Panoply plc (now TPXimpact), Chief Commercial Officer at Tungsten Network, and Global Marketing Director at BBC Worldwide. Over the years, I’ve guided numerous SMEs through transformation and value creation. Helping businesses evolve and thrive is a genuine passion. Practical marketing insights and succession planning strategies are at the heart of what I do, as I believe growing a business’s asset value should be a rewarding and positive journey for every entrepreneur.

See Full Bio