Oldham Tesco baskets stolen after bag charge introduced

Security tags have been added to baskets at the company's store in Chadderton after a spate of thefts

Security tags have been put on baskets at a Tesco store in Oldham after a third of them were stolen in the week carrier bag charges were brought in.

A spokesman for the Chadderton store confirmed it introduced security tagging after a spate of thefts.

On 5 October, a 5p charge was brought in for carrier bags in larger retailers across England.

The supermarket said basket thefts rose massively last week.

Tesco said: "The store had a problem with people taking baskets since the introduction of the carrier bag charge.

"It is not a blanket policy, but we have introduced security tags as a result."

Tesco has previously brought in security tags on baskets at the Wythenshawe store in Manchester, but they have since been removed.

The Oldham branch is the only store which currently has security tags on baskets, a Tesco spokesperson confirmed.

The charge brought in by the government aims to reduce the use of single-use carrier bags, and the associated litter, by encouraging people to re-use bags for life.

A spokesperson for Asda said the firm had not introduced additional security measures as a result of the October carrier bag charge in England.

However some stores in Dundee put security tags on baskets following the charge's introduction in Scotland, they added.

Waitrose said it had not introduced security tags on shopping baskets.