Aldi store

Customers can instead buy a 9p bag made from back-of-store waste

Aldi has stopped selling single-use 5p plastic bags across all UK stores.

The move announced this morning will remove an average 80 million bags a year from circulation, equating to 900 tonnes of plastic, Aldi said.

The last 5p bag had already been sold and customers could instead choose from more sustainable alternatives including a 9p one made from back-of-store waste and a reusable polypropylene woven version.

The discounter has become the latest in a string of supermarkets to ditch 5p single-use bags after Lidl, Asda, Morrisons, Waitrose and Iceland all announced the move last year, and Tesco the year before.

Read more: Iceland scraps 5p carrier bags in favour of 10p bags for life

It follows Aldi’s removal of black plastic from some fruit and veg lines and non-recyclable bases from pizzas last year. The supermarket aims to use only 100% recyclable, reusable or compostable packaging across own-label products by 2022.

“The environmental impact of single-use plastic bags is no secret, and removing them from our stores is an important step on our mission to eradicate plastic wherever possible,” said Fritz Walleczek, Aldi UK’s MD of corporate responsibility.

“Our customers trust us not only to offer them high quality products at unbeatable prices, but to help them lead more environmentally-friendly lives.”