“This eco-friendly policy was introduced to all 28 Vinnies shops in the region at the start of this year, and the move has been well received by our customers and volunteer staff,” St Vincent de Paul Society’s North Coast Executive Officer Michael Timbrell said.

“Shoppers have got into the habit of bringing their own bags or purchasing one of our low-cost cloth bags. Like the sale of all items in Vinnies shops, the proceeds from the sale of these bags are used to assist local people in need.”

Mr Timbrell thanked customers and staff for their support and cooperation in ending single-use plastic bags.

“In the retail space we were in the forefront of phasing out plastic bags, which have such a damaging impact on the environment. A message that our local councils are now promoting is that soft plastics cannot be recycled. This means that bags have to go to landfill where they take ages to degrade.

“Many bags that are let loose in the environment find their way into our waterways and eventually the ocean where they pose terrible risks to marine life. We regard ending plastic bag use as a key environmental action.”

Each year Vinnies recycles and reprocesses hundreds of tonnes of clothing and sundry goods donated to its North Coast shops.