British retailer to charge for plastic bags

LONDON (AP) — One of Britain’s largest retailers says it will start charging for plastic bags at all of its stores as part of a drive to eliminate waste.

Beginning May 6, food and clothing retailer Marks & Spencer says it will charge 5 pence, or about 10 U.S. cents, per plastic bag.

Marks & Spencer says it hopes the charge will save 280 million bags per year, and income from bags that are sold will go to an environmental charity called Groundwork.

The company said Thursday that it has tested the idea in Northern Ireland and southwestern England, and says it cut bag use by 70 percent.

The move is part of a growing push away from plastic bags. The New York City Council passed a law this month requiring stores to collect and recycle bags, following a similar law in California. Last year, San Francisco passed the nation’s first bag ban, which took effect in November.