Customers still frequently reach for very light plastic bags in supermarkets. In contrast to the thicker carrier bags, the use of these bags, which are often available at fruit counters, for example, has not decreased noticeably in recent years. Last year, 37.3 of these totes were used per capita, compared to 39.5 the year before and 36.3 in 2016. This is the result of a question from the FDP parliamentary group reported in the "neue osnabrucker zeitung" on tuesday reported. In total, slightly more than three billion of the small bags were consumed in germany.
Many retailers no longer hand out carrier bags to customers for free, but charge money instead. But this is not the case with bags whose wall thickness is less than 15 micrometers. These so-called shirt bags are not part of the agreement between trade and the EU.
Heavy plastic bags are being used less
The heavier plastic totes have been used less and less in recent years. Last year, the people of germany still consumed 24 plastic tubes per capita – that was 5 fewer than in the previous year, according to figures from the gesellschaft fur verpackungsmarktforschung (packaging market research association). In 2016, the consumption was still at 45 tutes per capita, in 2015 even at 68.
The FDP criticized the fact that no record is kept of the development in the use of paper bags. "It is hypocritical to be celebrated for the decline in plastic when the figures for the competing product are not collected", said judith skudelny, environmental spokeswoman of the FDP parliamentary group.
For other plastic items such as cutlery, plates and straws, the EU is backing bans: these items, which are found particularly often on beaches, will no longer be allowed to be sold from 2021 onwards.