UK shoppers shun plastic bags to save pennies not the planet, study finds

Analysis of 1m loyalty card transactions suggests decline is mostly down to levy on single-use bags

Shoppers have been shunning single-use plastic bags to save pennies rather than the planet, a big data" study of more than 10,000 consumers has found.

The research by Nottingham University business school's N/LAB analytics centre of excellence suggests the massive decline in plastic bag use in the UK may have little to do with shoppers' concern for the environment.