TESCO has sparked a backlash for charging shoppers 10p if they buy an item of clothing and want to keep the hanger.
The supermarket giant is trialling the new fee in various stores across the country in a bid to reduce plastic waste.
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Angry shoppers were shocked by the charge, with one taking to Facebook to say: “Never in my life have I heard so much rubbish, Tesco don’t only charge for plastic bags but now for hangers, 10p a hanger. What is the world today.
“I didn’t even want the hanger but was just in shock.”
Another added: “Tesco charging 10p if you want to keep their hangers now!
“Next there will be an entrance fee.”
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A third said on Reddit: “If this is a new thing that is actually pathetic of Tesco to do that.”
But others praised the move, with one responding: “So it doesn’t get thrown into landfill and can be reused /recycled, I’m guessing so it’s a good thing.”
Another added: “It’s a trial. They are trying to discourage people taking hangers as they usually just get chucked anyway.
“If Tesco can keep them they can reuse them and therefore don’t have to produce more.
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“Little planet saving steps.”
Under the rules of the trial customers can either purchase a hanger for 10p alongside the item of clothing they buy, or leave it behind for reuse.
Tesco did not confirm how many stores are testing out the initiative, but at least five are involved in the pilot, ahead of a potential roll-out across the country.
The results are said to have been pleasing so far, with an increase seen in the number of hangers being reused.
Last year Matalan also introduced a charge of 10p per hanger, sparking a backlash among customers.
Lauren Weir, senior campaigner at the Environmental Investigation Agency, said initiatives enabling a reduction in plastic consumption “are a step in the right direction”.
She added: “We would also like to see more concerted effort in reducing non-essential single-use plastics, like packaging, in the supermarket retail sector.”
How to save on your supermarket shop
THERE are plenty of ways to save on your grocery shop.
You can look out for yellow or red stickers on products, which show when they’ve been reduced.
If the food is fresh, you’ll have to eat it quickly or freeze it for another time.
Making a list should also save you money, as you’ll be less likely to make any rash purchases when you get to the supermarket.
Going own brand can be one easy way to save hundreds of pounds a year on your food bills too.
This means ditching “finest” or “luxury” products and instead going for “own” or value” type of lines.
Plenty of supermarkets run wonky veg and fruit schemes where you can get cheap prices if they’re misshapen or imperfect.
For example, Lidl runs its Waste Not scheme, offering boxes of 5kg of fruit and vegetables for just £1.50.
If you’re on a low income and a parent, you may be able to get up to £442 a year in Healthy Start vouchers to use at the supermarket too.
Plus, many councils offer supermarket vouchers as part of the Household Support Fund.
The move is the latest in a series by Tesco designed to cut the amount of plastic packaging it produces every year.
In January 2023, Tesco announced it would introduce plant-based teabags to allow shoppers to compost them, in a move away from plastic heat-sealed bags.
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Its other attempts to cut back on plastic packaging include removing the inner caps from bottles of distilled vinegar, hard lids from tubs of yoghurt and see-through windows from doughnut packs.
In a further bid to help the environment, Tesco removed plastic forks from its pasta pot lunches in 2022, instead leaving wooden ones in nearby containers for customers to take if they don’t have their own.
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