Co-op are offering new compostable carrier bags in a move to ditch single-use plastic.

The Co-op food store in Dreghorn, Townfoot was among the first to offer the community retailer’s not-for-profit compostable bags which will see around 60million single-use plastic bags removed UK-wide.

The bags can be turned into peat-free compost along with the household food waste, and are approved for home composting.

They are priced at 5p, the same price as the conventional single-use plastic bag being replaced. Shoppers who forget their bag-for-life can use the compostable bags to carry shopping home.

The carriers then have a secondary use as food waste caddy liners, and accepted as part of household food waste collections.

Iain Ferguson, Environment Manager, Co-op, said: “Reducing the environmental impact of our products is, and always has been, at the core of Co-op’s efforts. Eliminating single-use plastic is a priority, and these bags are carefully designed to help local authorities with food waste recycling and, reduce plastic contamination in a targeted way.”

Marcus Gover, CEO, of resource efficiency group WRAP, said: “We absolutely need to explore innovative ways of tackling plastic pollution, but there is a balance to ensure initiatives are well thought through and avoid unintended consequences. I’m pleased to see this reflected in the Co-op’s approach to its compostable carrier bag initiative by carefully designing an approach that aligns with existing local collection systems.”

The Co-op has rolledout the compostable carrier bags to over 1,000 of its food stores UK wide.