These regulations will amend the Single Use Carrier Bags Charge Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2013 to increase the single use carrier bag charge to 25p.

Exemptions from the charge will also be updated, including increasing the cost threshold to £5 for bags sold to avoid the charge.

The Single Use Carrier Bags Charge (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2021 will amend the Single Use Carrier Bags Charge Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2013 on 1 April 2022.

What has changed?

From 1 April 2022 sellers will be required to charge customers 25p for each new carrier bag supplied (rising from 5p at present).

Sellers should keep a record of the amount received from the plastic bag charge and the VAT payable.

Exemptions

The cost threshold for the exemption of bags from the charge has changed from 20p and above to £5 above.

Previous exemptions will be removed from:

• bags for purchases on ships, trains, aircraft, coaches or buses;
• bags for purchases on within restricted areas in airports apart from sealed transit bags; and
• Gusseted liners.

Background

The regulations define single use carrier bags as “an unused bag made of lightweight plastic material with handles, other than an excluded bag”. Both bags provided at the point of sale and provided as part of deliveries are subject to the charge.

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