Waitrose on Jesmond’s Osborne Road will be dedicating one of its self-scan checkouts exclusively to shoppers who don’t want plastic carrier bags. The one-week trial begins tomorrow (24th May) and is part of the Eco Week being run by West Jesmond Primary School.

It also ties in with the Greening Jesmond campaign launched in July 2011 – local shops win accreditation for helping encourage shoppers to bring their own bags when shopping.

Waitrose store manager Rob Brewis said: “We are delighted to be able to support the Greening Jesmond campaign by having an Eco Till in our store this week. We are pleased to help highlight the issues surrounding the provision of carrier bags and this fits in perfectly with the Eco Week taking place at West Jesmond Primary School.”

This is West Jesmond Primary School’s second Eco Week – a whole-school effort to raise awareness of environmental issues through events with visitors, trips to local places and activities.

Tony Waterston, one of the organisers of the Greening Jesmond campaign, told JesmondLocal: “We’re pleased with the campaign’s progress in reducing the availability of free plastic bags in Jesmond, though we recognise that many of the supermarkets are unlikely to stop using them until they are told to by the government.”

For more details about Eco Week, contact community co-ordinator Deborah Hainsworth.