M&S customers are being asked to pay for plastics or bring their own. This has made people think twice about how they shop and the impact that plastic bag usage is having on the environment.

Some 70 million fewer bags have been used over a six month period and customers are either recycling old bags or switching to 'green' or fabric bags.

The profits made from the sale of the plastic bags has been donated to the environmental charity, Groundwork.

M&S is once again one step ahead of the game in taking the initiative to charge customers for plastic bags. Other retailers may be forced to do so when Government legislation is brought in to enforce this through taxes.

A new Waste Bill is likely to receive royal warrant in the Autumn requiring traders to charge for plastic bags.