Shoppers have used buckets, cycle helmets, prams and even suitcases to carry their shopping home since last year’s 5p plastic bag charge was introduced.
Figures show the use of disposable plastic bags have fallen by 80 per cent since the compulsory charge came into force in England last October.
The fee from the throwaway bags in most cases goes toward charities.
But according to research from Business Waste – which helps companies save money on waste services – many people prefer not to pay for the bags.
Spokesman for the company, Mark Hall, said: “The tiny five pence fee is a red line for many people, who would rather stuff their pockets with frozen peas than carry them home in the 'bag of shame'”.
The survey asked hundreds of shoppers what they had used to carry their groceries instead of a bag.
Unusual answers included a builder’s bucket, a cycle helmet, a dog poo bag, a car blanket tied up at all four corners and a large flower pot. One person said they regularly use a suitcase.
England was the last part of the UK to introduce the charge, part of a Government scheme to reduce litter and protect wildlife.
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