COMPOSTABLE carrier bags are being rolled out in shops to help people ditch single-use plastic.

Around 20 Co-op stores in Dorset - including those in Weymouth, Portland, Dorchester and Bridport - will be offering the bags.

They can be turned into peat-free compost along with the household food waste, and are approved for home composting. The bags cost 5p, the same price as the conventional single-use plastic bag being replaced.

Iain Ferguson, Environment Manager, Co-op, said: "Reducing the environmental impact of our products is, and always has been, at the core of Co-op’s efforts. Eliminating single-use plastic is a priority, and these bags are carefully designed to help local authorities with food waste recycling and, reduce plastic contamination in a targeted way. We welcome measures designed to make recycling simpler and more accessible for consumers, bringing together supply and waste-value chains to achieve a more circular economy.”