A Chester supermarket has attached security tags to shopping baskets to stop customers stealing them to dodge the new 5p carrier bag charge.
The Tesco superstore in Sealand Road is one of many supermarkets across England who have been forced to tag wired baskets after a number of them have been stolen in recent weeks.
Chronicle staff have visited the Sealand Road store twice and on both occasions used baskets with security tags on the bottom.
On one occasion our reporter was told they had been introduced following the 5p carrier bag charge to stop customers taking the baskets to their cars.
The scheme to charge shoppers for using carrier bags – introduced on October 5 – aims to reduce the use of plastic carrier bags and the litter they can cause, by encouraging people to reuse their own shopping bags.
Retailers are expected to donate all proceeds from the scheme to charity.
A Tesco spokesperson said: "We're always working to provide the best service for our customers and this includes making sure baskets are available.
"In some cases it has been necessary to attach security tags to baskets to prevent them from being stolen."
