J Sainsbury, Britain's third-biggest supermarket chain, is the latest retailer to attack the Chancellor's call for a charge on plastic bags after announcing plans yesterday to halve the number used by customers.

Sainsbury's echoed Tesco, its fierce rival, and said that forcing customers to pay for bags was not the way to achieve “sustained behavioural change”.

Justin King, chief executive, said: “Sainsbury's does not believe that charging for single-use bags is the only answer or that it is the most likely way to achieve lasting benefit for the environment.”

Sainsbury's said it would halve the number of one-use carrier bags handed out to shoppers from 1.7 billion to 850 million over the next year through a number of initiatives.

Customers will be offered points on their loyalty cards if they re-use their bags. Stores in the South West of England will remove bags from the checkout in a trial to gauge the public's reaction.

Mr King said: “Since last April we believe we have given away more free 'Bags for Life' than any other retailer. We now need to help customers to remember to re-use them.”

Supermarkets came under fierce pressure to charge for bags in the run-up to the Budget last month. From May 6 Marks & Spencer will begin charging customers in its food halls 5p for every plastic bag they use.

Alistair Darling, the Chancellor, has warned retailers that they will be forced to charge next year unless they act on cutting waste.

A survey by the Marine Conservation Society last week reported that the number of plastic bags found at popular coastal spots had reached record levels after a near 12 per cent rise in the past year alone.

An exclusive survey for The Times this month showed that the vast majority of the public would rather see throwaway bags scrapped altogether than pay a charge.

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