4 shopping bag ideas to avoid the 5p charge

If you're anything like us growing up your mum would store plastic
bags
within plastic bags, within more plastic bags. And we'd wonder why on
earth someone would need that many bags. Now the Government has bought
in the 5p
carrier bag charge, we can see they were actually pretty useful! If
you're not familiar with the new legislation, retailers with more than
250 full-time employees are now required to charge 5p for single-use
carrier bags (there are certain exlcusions see the Government website).

While many of us have good
intentions to reuse our shopping bags, we either forget to take
them to the supermarket in the first place or you leave them in the boot
of the car and only remember when it comes to paying at the checkout!

We've been looking out for products which make shopping that little bit easier, the only flaw is that it's down to you to remember to take them food
shopping in the first place! But if you want to make the weekly food
shop that little bit easier and save yourself from paying out for
plastic bags you can't beat these five ideas.

1. Shallow Trolley bags,
£19.99, Lakeland.

Invest in the four-piece set, which rolls up neatly and hooks onto the trolley
while you shop. Once you've unpacked all your shopping at the checkout,
simply unroll the Trolley bags and they spread out across your trolley,
resting on the sides so you have a series of open, upright bags ready to
load your shopping into. Once back to the car, simply separate each bag
along the Velcros and load each one individually into the boot. Easy!

2. Geoff totebag, £14.95, Ohhdeer.com

Jazz up the food shop with this quirky design featuring Geoff the giraffe. Keep this handy tote folded up in your handbag for those spur of the moment shopping trips.

3. Eco2 Trolley Dolly, £19.95, Notonthehighstreet.com

Make shopping easy with this eight-piece set. It contains five polyester shopping bags and two net bags for fruit and veg. The outer pack has handy pockets and a clear window for lists and vouchers and is easy to store your bags until you get to the checkout. No more worrying about your bags breaking if you're carrying heavy items.

4. Sabichi Candy Spot shopping bag with wheels, £13.99, Argos

If the thought of lugging a load of shopping bags around doesn't appeal to you, this folding shopping trolley is ideal. It folds down into a neat bag for your trip to the supermarket and unfolds easily into a trolley, so you can buy everything you need and easily get it home.