Shoppers get 'tapioca' bags

Three supermarkets will use the bags in a trial

Bio-degradable bags made from starch are being introduced by supermarket giant Sainsbury's.

The bags are made from the same starch used in tapioca pudding and can be re-used until they wear out.

While typical plastic bags can remain intact in landfills for dozens of years and release harmful chemicals into the earth, the environmentally friendly bags can be put in compost and break down as carbon, oxygen and hydrogen.

They will initially be available in three stores - Islington in north London, Ladbroke Grove in west London and Durham - but will be provided in other locations if they prove popular.

Environmentalists have urged the government to introduce a tax on plastic bags to discourage their use.

A similar scheme launched in Ireland last year has radically reduced the number of plastic bags littering the streets or being thrown away.