Tesco left with 16 baskets after 500 stolen due to bag charge!

The new bag charge scheme may be solving a big recycling issue, but with it comes another problem …. theft!

It has been revealed that since the 5p bag charge was introduced in north-East Wales last year, a Tesco supermarket has had 500 of its shopping baskets stolen!

The store in Denbighshire, north-east Wales, has just 16 baskets left following the surge in theft, which has been directly linked to the charge!

The most shocking part is, The Daily Mail have reported that the shoppers are then flogging the baskets for £25 each on eBay.

Although we have regularly been reminded by the government what a positive effect the charge has had on other areas who’ve already rolled the scheme out, it seems as though there are definitely ging to be some down sides too.

It is thought that this particular store has been hit hard after being the first to roll out the charge.

The Daily Mail reports: ‘The tax on plastic bags has seen the number given away by shops fall by up to 96 per cent, according to figures released in July. The tax’s success is a vindication of the Daily Mail’s Banish the Bags campaign. Local residents in the town said on Facebook the baskets were stolen because people refused to pay for bags.’

‘Lisa Thomas who started a conversation on Facebook, said: ‘I went into that big supermarket in Ruthin yesterday and couldn’t find a basket anywhere, when I asked I was told we only have 12 left because people are pinching them because they won’t buy a bag.’

The charge was rolled out across England yesterday.

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