Consumers with a commitment to using eco products may be partly behind the reduction in plastic carrier bag usage in the UK in recent months.

Figures from the British Retail Consortium report the number and weight of single-use bags distributed by shops across the country.

Not just plastic bags are counted, but all kinds of disposable carriers - and, since 2006, the number handed out has been cut by two-fifths.

People who are handed their eco products in a plastic carrier can still draw some comfort from the fact that the bags now in use are typically more lightweight than in previous years.

In the 12 months ending May 2010, 43 per cent fewer bags were used, but their total weight was down by more than half.

Edwin Poots, environment minister for Northern Ireland, says: "Taking reusable bags shopping is a very simple yet effective way for everyone to play their part in helping to prevent waste."

His comments follow a nine per cent cut in bag use in Northern Ireland, despite a rapid growth in the amount of goods sold at retail outlets across the country.