M&S has made a major change at checkouts – and shoppers have been left fuming.
The posh retailer is phasing out plastic bags for life and introducing new 40p paper versions across all its food halls.
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M&S said the bags can hold up to 15kg and have been coated in a resin, making them water resistant.
They have also been tested to withstand 100 uses, the retailer said.
Not only this but they are made from sustainable Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) paper and can be recycled at home rather than in-store.
But shoppers have been left reeling over having to fork out money for the bags and have questioned how durable they actually are.
One said: “Why are you not giving them free, like stores in the US have been doing for years – disgraceful charging for them.”
Meanwhile, another said: “What happened to free paper bags,” and a third added: “40p for a carrier bag disgusting.”
A fourth customer said: “Mine tore 20 metres from the store this morning. Rain proof???”
Meanwhile, a fifth added: “Well, not sure I will be getting another one.
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“I did not have a lot of shopping, as I left the store, the handle split, thankfully I was not far from the car, I don’t think they are very strong.”
However, it’s not all bad – other customers have said their bags are holding up well since purchase.
One said: “Used mine loads of times, still going strong,” while another added: “They’re very strong.”
A third added: “I bought one yesterday and loved it. Well done M&S.”
It comes after M&S introduced paper-based packaging on its rice, grains and pulses range in April in a bid to reduce plastic usage.
More than 30 products in stores now come with the new packaging including basmati rice, cous cous and red lentils.
The packaging can be recycled at home, like the new paper bags, whereas before they would have had to recycle them in-store.
M&S said the move will save around 5.5million units of plastic from entering its supermarkets.
It comes as a number of other retailers make changes to packaging in a bid to help the environment.
A number of high street retailers have switched coloured caps for clear ones, which can be recycled more easily.
Tesco made the move in August, following Lidl, Asda, Aldi, Waitrose and Sainsbury’s.
But some customers have griped the change means a “simple glance down the fridge normally, now requires removal of bottles to check”.
Companies aren’t just removing coloured caps from milk to reduce plastic usage.
In November last year, McDonald’s introduced recyclable pressed-paper knives, forks and spoons.
The fast food chain said it introduced the change to eliminate a staggering 858 metric tonnes of plastic across the UK every year.
Sainsbury’s also recently ditched single-use plastic trays from its whole chicken range and now vacuum packs all of its beef mince.
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