On 1 May 2020, Sweden introduced a tax on plastic carrier bags from stores.
After only eight months with the tax last year, the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency can see a clear effect on consumption.
In 2017, consumption was 83 plastic carrier bags per person, in 2019 74 plastic carrier bags per person were consumed and in 2020 it decreased to 55.
- This is a big change, which is positive if we are to reach the goal of 40 bags, says Åsa Stenmarck.
A sign at ICA announces the new tax on plastic bags.
Photo: TT 15 May 2020
EU packaging directive
The goal within the EU is to reduce this type of plastic carrier bags to 40 in 2025. The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency could see a reduction even before the tax in Sweden was introduced.
The tax applies to plastic carrier bags from all kinds of stores.
- If you look at the statistics for all years, you see a larger decrease from 2017 to 2018, which was the year when the directive itself was implemented and stores had to have information about the bags' environmental impact, and so on.
Since then, the reduction has slowed down as the tax is introduced.
Has the use of other types of plastic bags changed, such as free bags inside the stores?
- Unfortunately, we do not know. During the year, we will conduct a study where we look at what has happened in addition to the reduction of the plastic bags, says Åsa Stenmarck.