All checkout bags are soon to be paid for, whether for one-off use or recyclable. This is at a price significantly higher than that currently seen in supermarkets. All shops nationwide will be affected. This is clearly stated in La Dernière Heure, De Morgen and Het Laatste Nieuwstoday (Monday).
“Our objective is to restrict, as much as possible, the negative environmental impact by encouraging the maximum recycling of all bags in circulation,” Marie-Christine Marghem, the Federal Minister for the Environment, says. She is banking upon the deterrent pricing aspect to give the customer food for thought and encourage them to change their shopping habits in this regard. A minimum price has not yet been fixed. It will be subject to a discussion with interested stakeholders and may indeed vary according to the ecological impact of a given bag.
(Source: Belga)
