I work for one of the major retail chains, one of my weekly jobs is ordering in consumables such as plastic bags. Before the 5p tax, I ordered 60 boxes of 500 bags most weeks and 200 each week for the four weeks running up to Christmas. Now, I order six per week - that's a big difference. Afew weeks back, the government announced a plan that certain shops and most bars, cafes and restaurants would be required to allow the public to fill bottles with water for free, in an effort to get people to reuse rather than simply buy another bottle of water - combined with this new tax that will, hopefully, have a similar effect.

I'm all in favour of devolved power. Democracy seems to work best on a fairly small scale. One of the reasons the Scandinavian countries are so happy and successful seems to be that they are small enough for the inhabitants to feel they are involved, apart from the fact that they have sensible tax-rates so that necessities like health and social services are properly covered. Instead of copying all the worst aspects of the USA, as the current UK government does, we need a government that is willing to look at better options for the 95%.

@Jnei There's no denying that it's reduced the consumption of disposable plastic shopping bags. If I forget to bring my 'bag for life', I'll either take the trolley to the car and bag stuff there, or buy another bag for life in store. I have rather more of those than I need now.

I used to use disposable carrier bags for kitchen waste. Now, I buy bin liners for the same purpose. Truth be told, I'm probably creating as much plastic bag waste as I always did. The only difference is that I now have to buy carrier bags or bin liners, both of which provide VAT to the government that free carrier bags didn't. The only benefit is if bin liners biodegrade more readily than carrier bags. Either can be made from biodegradable plastic. Neither necessarily is.

@NicoleCadmium The bulk of the plastic waste is not created by us consumers who are doing our best to cut down on it. It is created by the manufacturers who use it to make their products last longer of because they think we like it. Whenever possible we need to buy the option with minimal packaging, or loose fruit and veg but we also need to let the companies know how we feel. There are lots of petitions to sign that tell them people care and although you might think they are pointless and no-one listens, they do sometimes have an effect.

@CeliaVL As ever, it's more about being seen to do the right thing, than actually doing anything meaningful. It's like installing a red light camera at an intersection that's had a bad accident. Even though, statistically, it's no more likely to have another bad accident than several others in the area. It has nothing to do with significantly reducing risk, and everything to do with looking like they're taking the situation seriously.

Yes, I wish it was a think nationally. I live in Vermont, where it is a thing, but it could be better. I think Michigan's return laws are the best in the US.

I used to get half my fag and sweet money taking peoples bottles back.

I remember that when I was a kid too - going round with a wheelbarrow and collecting all the bottles we could find and taking them to the local sweetshop. I'm sure we'd regularly make £10 that way, but that would have been quite a lot of money at the time so I'm sure my memory is tricking me.