A major supermarket chain has announced its West Sussex stores will replace its plastic bags with biodegradeable carriers.

The Co-op is to introduce a GM-free corn starch bag from the end of March.

The switch follows a successful trial at the Co-op store in Overton, Hampshire, when the town went plastic bag free in November last year.

The new 5p corn starch bags will become available at the convenience chain's stores throughout West Sussex from March 31.

Co-op was the first company to introduce the new type of carrier bag in Britain.

Customers will also have the option of purchasing a Co-op Fairtrade cotton bag for life for 99p, instead of using traditional plastic bags.

Ted Merdler, Marketing Manager, at Southern Co-operatives said: "We are delighted to be able to encourage a reduction in the amount of plastic bags used.

"The Co-op has always been a pioneer in ethical retailing, for instance by decreasing the amount of packaging used for a number of our own-brand products.

"Given the support from our customers for Overton's plastic bag free initiative, we are convinced that shoppers in our other stores will agree this is an important step forward for the environment and be happy to pay 5p for the bag, on which we make no profit."

The corn starch used to make the new bags is industrial grade and grown on land which has been set aside for that specific purpose. All inks used are purely vegetable based.

Like traditional plastic bags, they are strong and can be reused for shopping. They can be composted at their end of their life though, rather than go into landfill.

The new bags have EU certification for compostability and leave no contaminants in the finished compost.

Brighton and Hove City Council has announced it will hold a summit to call on supermarkets to do more to cut the use of carrier bags.

It follows a bid launched last October to rid Brighton and Hove of plastic bags.

Council leader Brian Oxley said: "Supermarkets need to make the alternatives to plastic bags more available and they could really do more promoting them.

"It really needs a push from the supermarkets to show what is available and the alternatives should be at the most competitive prices."

Brighton and Hove City Council recently launched its Clean City, Clean Sea campaign which aims to reduce the use of excessive packaging, including plastic bags, in the city.

The authority is currently developing its own 'bag for life' using material from recycled plastic bags.

The bags are being designed by Natasha Coverdale who has previously worked for clients including Harrods and Calvin Klein.

Asda in Brighton has already moved to cut plastic bags by not handing them out automatically at the checkout.

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