The Single Use Carrier Bags Charge (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2021: equality impact assessment

Welsh research shows that young people are less likely to take their own bags shopping and are therefore more likely to purchase single use bags, particularly for non-supermarket shopping.

Post-implementation Review of the SUCB in Wales

Older people visit their local shop 3.9 times a week, which is more often than younger people. Local shops are more likely to still use single use bags.

Scottish Grocers Federation Scottish Local Shop Report, 2018 

Young people may benefit more from reduced littering as they perceive it to be more of a problem. People aged between 16 to 24 are more likely (35%) to report neighbourhood littering as very or fairly common, compared to 27% for those aged 60 to 74. The evidence suggests that litter is a social problem that particularly affects young people’s perceptions of their own neighbourhood. 

Scottish Household Survey 2016

People living in rural areas may also benefit from a reduction in littering. Media coverage has highlighted the issue of litter both on our beaches and at tourist hotspots, such as the successful NC500 tourist route around the north of Scotland. This is likely to have a particularly positive impact on the elderly, as 56% of the remote rural population were aged 45 and over, compared to 41% in large urban areas.

BBC News

Population Estimates by Urban Rural Classification 2011-16

24% of adults have a long-term physical or mental health condition. A higher proportion of women experience disability with twice as many women as men receiving home care services. 

Scottish Household Survey 2019 

Home Care Services, Scotland, 2011

People who experience disability are more susceptible to financial difficulty, with 321,000 classed as economically inactive. 25% of individuals in families with at least one disabled member live in income poverty.

Disabled People Employment Action Plan 

Poverty and Income Inequality in Scotland 2014-2017

Cognitive disabilities and learning differences, such as dyslexia, Alzheimer’s, dementia, autism and other related conditions, may necessitate a requirement for the item that is subject to the charge or may have more difficulty in adapting their behaviour to adopt reusable alternatives.

NHS factsheets on dementia, autism and Alzheimer’s

Females are more likely to have a limiting condition or disability than males, making them more susceptible to the impact of an increased charge, as considered above. It should be noted that this is dependent on the kind of disability.

Scottish Health Survey 2017

A higher percentage of women report that they use reusable carrier bags. Men are 37% less likely to always take their own bags to the supermarket and 32% in the case of other types of shops. This may relate to evidence that regular consumers may be more likely to remember to take reusable items than irregular consumers.  

Poortinga, W, Whitmarsh, L and Suffolk, C, 2012: The introduction of a single-use carrier bag charge in Wales: attitude change and behavioural spillover effects (Welsh School of Architecture Working Paper)

We are not aware of any relevant existing evidence at this time on pregnancy and maternity in relation to the policy.

We are not aware of any relevant existing evidence at this time on gender reassignment in relation to the policy.

We are not aware of any relevant existing evidence at this time on sexual orientation in relation to the policy.

We are not aware of any relevant existing evidence on race in relation to the policy. 

We are not aware of any relevant existing evidence at this time on religion or belief in relation to the policy.

The Scottish Government does not require assessment against this protected characteristic unless the policy or practice relates to work, for example HR policies and practices – refer to Definitions of Protected Characteristics document for details.