But I seriously question whether a blanket ban would be so bad after all.

Over the past year we've seen an explosion of new thinking, policy and attention paid to the whole green debate, but the issue of plastic bags, which take centuries to decompose and emit harmful carbon dioxide, has not been tackled directly until now.

The most recent news is that now all 33 authorities in the London Councils group voted for legislation to prevent shops in the capital handing out free plastic bags. Westminster Council will present a private Bill to the House of Commons, which would apply to every London shop. This is a move that could see London free of plastic bags and the creation of a model for the entire UK. Supermarkets will no doubt take issue when this happens

Don't get me wrong, I applaud supermarkets and other retailers for all taking steps to the address this issue. To this end we've seen premium reusable shopper bags at point of purchase. Sainsbury's have "one-third recyclable material" orange shopper bags (but what about the other two thirds?). Then it has its "bag for life" option. Meanwhile, Tesco cut its use of carrier bags by 1 billion following a campaign to reward shoppers with loyalty points for reusing bags.

Further to these measures, the major retailers have signed an agreement with WRAP (Waste & Resources Action Programme), the Government's waste body, to reduce the environmental impact of plastic bag use by 25% by the end of 2008.

These are all positive measures but not nearly enough. From an environmental perspective, they do not offer a full solution to the problem: single-use disposable plastic bags infiltrating the environment.

For this reason I'm not convinced a minor charge on plastic bags is the answer either. It will not dissuade someone arriving at checkout without their quality reusable bag. Positive encouragement can help change consumer habits but only a complete ban can really make a difference.

The facts are that more than 13 billion bags are issued every year to shoppers in the UK, which roughly works out to 220 bags per person every year. Do we really need 220 bags a year? What if we all had 10 strong reusable bags of varied materials, ranging from cotton, jute, hemp, straw or even long-lasting plastics as alternatives? Supermarkets and retailers could do a lot more to offer a comprehensive range of reusable bags at point of purchase.

Ireland has proved that when shoppers are faced with a levy on bags they begin to consider if they should reuse bags or switch to one made out of long lasting materials. All Hong Kong retailers have a blanket ban on providing consumers bags on the first Tuesday of each Month. And on that day consumers go shopping prepared – this has changed behaviour. Many communities across the world, including our own Modbury, has banned the bag. Countries ranging from Bangladesh (plastic bags block drain pipes) to Zanzibar have successfully imposed the ban. Closer to home France has planned a nationwide ban due to take effect on 1 January 2010, with Paris currently implementing it. It is possible.

As a promotional merchandise trade association we also naturally see a huge marketing opportunity for reusable quality bags. FMCG brands and just about any big consumer campaign could make use of the opportunity to provide consumers with free branded, quality reusable bags, thereby promoting their brands on a long-term basis.

The London Councils conducted a poll of 1,700 people that showed 90% wanted either an outright ban or a levy of 10 to 15p per bag. The public are looking for action.

For this issue to be resolved, UK supermarkets and retailers could, through a committed national alliance, impose an outright ban on free single-use plastic bags. We can't change the habits of a lifetime overnight, but we can live without free disposable bags. So retailers should be proactive in taking this responsibility now.

Gill Thorpe,Vice Chair, BPMA

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