MILLIONS of shoppers have ditched carrier bags since a 5p charge was introduced at Scottish supermarkets in a bid to crack down on litter.

Retailers and campaigners say that plastic bag usage has dropped by between 80 and 90 percent in the six months since the levy was brought in almost six months ago.

The move has also raised thousands of pounds for good causes, with many stores passing on the money collected by the charge in small grants to deserving groups.

Removing the huge number of plastic bags disposed of every year means that less waste is going to landfill, while the natural environment has been spared the thousands of bags casually discarded each year till now.

Derek Robertson, Chief Executive of Keep Scotland Beautiful, the charity for Scotland's environment, hailed the charge as a resounding success.

He said:"We have already started to distribute the proceeds of our Community Grant Scheme in partnership with Tesco, funding small community environmental improvements that will make local places across the country cleaner, greener and happier."

Supermarket Morrisons has recorded an 80 per cent reduction in single carrier bag usage since the introduction of the charge on October 20 last year, equating to millions of fewer bags being used.

Its spokesman said: "For every bag customers do require, the proceeds go to the Morrisons Foundation. Donating to good causes making a difference in Scotland."

Anti-litter campaigners Zero Waste Scotland has invited firms to sign up for its Carrier Bag Commitment and has been helping firms record facts about customers' use of disposable bags. Signatories include Marks & Spencer, McDonalds and ASDA.

Chief Executive Iain Gulland, said: "In the six months since the Scottish Government introduced the 5p single-use carrier bag charge to all Scottish retailers, we've seen an incredible change in shopping habits across Scotland. Shoppers have embraced the 5p charge and reduced their consumption of single-use bags more readily than we ever hoped.

"Taking reusable bags to the shops has increasingly become second nature to many shoppers across Scotland. Indeed, anecdotal reports from supermarket chains noted huge drops of up to 90% in the use of single-use carrier bags in the months following the introduction of the legislation.

"Whilst reducing the number of single-use carrier bags handed out will vastly decrease the number discarded as litter, it is crucial that the public is aware of how retailers are using the proceeds from sales of bags.

"By signing up to the Commitment, retailers make a voluntary pledge to donate the proceeds of the carrier bag charge to good causes in Scotland, and to announce how the money was used. Through the Carrier Bag Commitment we're beginning to build a clear picture of the impact the 5p charge is making in Scotland "

Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Food and the Environment Richard Lochhead said: "Early reports from some major retailers indicate reductions in bag use of up to 90 per cent following the introduction of the carrier bag charge.

"It is encouraging to see that so many shoppers are now in the habit of reusing bags and the level of support from the Scottish public is extremely heartening.

"Scotland is serious about tackling litter, reducing waste and creating a cleaner, greener environment for everyone to enjoy. We expect that these positive early indications will lead to a reduction in bag litter, which can often be a highly visible problem on our streets and beaches."

England is due to bring in a 5p charge later in the year, but it will only include larger supermarkets and stores. Wales and Northern Ireland were the first regions of the UK to bring in the fee.