Early adopter has raised £104m in tax

Ireland became the first country to introduce a tax on plastic bags in 2002. The move has generated revenues of more than €120 million (£104 million).

The tax resulted in a reduction of more than 90 per cent in the issuing of plastic shopping bags in the country.

In Ireland, all money from the plastic bag tax goes directly to the environment ministry for use in enforcement and clean-up projects.

The tax is now €0.22 (19p) per bag, although there was a rate of €0. 15 (13p) per bag between 2002 and 2007.

Shops in other countries such as Germany, Denmark and Switzerland charge at check-outs for plastic bags of their own accord, without any government legislation in place.

In 2008, the Californian city of San Francisco became the first in the US to ban the use of plastic bags by large grocery stores.