The Marine Conservation Society (MCS) has recorded an average 80% drop in carrier bags found washed up on UK beaches over the last decade.
The dramatic decrease coincides with the introduction of carrier bag charges.
The new data comes from the ocean charity's beach clean programme – a beach litter survey in which volunteers record all rubbish that they find within a 100-metre stretch of beach.
The plastic carrier bag charge came into effect in Wales in 2011, Northern Ireland in 2013, Scotland in 2014, and England in 2015.
Since the nationwide charges were implemented, the number of plastic carrier bags found on UK shores by beach clean volunteers has fallen by 80%.
“It is brilliant to see policies on single-use plastics such as carrier bag charges working," says Lizzie Price, Beachwatch Manager at the MCS.
"There is no doubt that these policies have been extremely successful in reducing this frequently littered item. But we cannot afford to rest on our laurels," adds Price, who says that surveys show 9 out of 10 beach litter items are made from plastic.
Price adds that drinks-related litter, such as bottles and cans, were found on 97% of UK beaches last year.
"We need broader policies that charge or ban more single-use items where possible such as the proposed deposit return schemes for plastic bottles, cans and glass. We must move quicker towards a society that repairs reuses and recycles."
The beach cleaning initiative – which has been running for 30 years – takes place year-round, with a third of its data coming from volunteer surveys conducting during the MCS's annual Great British Beach Clean. This year the beach clean runs from 20–29 September.
The programme is one of the largest marine citizen science activities of its kind in the UK. The MCS hopes that by gathering more vital data, it can create change for cleaner and healthier coasts and seas.
The marine charity hopes to see a drop in single-use plastic cutlery, balloon sticks, polystyrene cups and food containers following a ban in England last year (after similar bans in Scotland in 2022 and Wales in 2023).
More than 100 beach cleans have already been organised across the UK during ahead of the Great British Beach Clean. Discover more information on how you can sign up to a beach clean, or run your own.
Read more about Britain's coastline
