As readers will know it will be illegal for supermarkets to give away plastic carrier bags from October 2015, from when they have to charge 5 pence per bag.

Our government’s idea is designed to raise money for Customs and Excise on the back of forcing a charitable donation, and cutting damage to the environment, no doubt all worthy causes. According to Dan Rogerson, an environment minister, the wheeze will generate £95 million in carrier bag sales of which £6 million will go to admin costs, £19 million to the popular VAT and £70 million to “charitable causes” as yet unspecified.

As a result the author, and most other people he knows, are sensibly holding onto their supermarket carrier bags and saving them to avoid paying mandatory money to charities as yet unspecified, rather than choosing the charities to support, as is everyone’s right.

Could there be an opportunity here for charities to issue their own branded VAT-free carriers for 4 pence each, sold through charity shops to people who are happy to announce their support as they walk around? It could also increase footfall into charity shops and ultimately raise lots more money for charities than our government’s daft forced scheme.

Over to you……….