Too many plastic bags?

Declan's shopping expedition left him with lots of plastic carrier bags

Breakfast returned to a topic that always gets people talking - the use of plastic carrier bags for our shopping.

From today, IKEA is doubling the amount it charges for plastic bags - from 5p to 10p.

The idea is to cut the number of bags we throw away - which is a huge environmental problem.

IKEA's move follows the decision of Tesco to start offering clubcard points for people who re-use their bags.

Tesco say they've saved 10 million bags since then.

There have been calls recently for shops not to be allowed to advertise on their bags.

What you told Breakfast Why not tax the shops that use plastic bags for their customers? The money could be used to clean up the sea of disposable bags that have now become an eyesore. Anne Bekker, Newcastle Upon Tyne Read more viewers' comments on our Your Say page

On Friday's Breakfast Declan Curry went on a shopping trip to see just how many plastic bags he'd be offered in stores. He came back with plenty.

You can see the video of Declan's shopping trip by clicking on the link to the right of the page.

Declan also spoke to Richard Hallett from Creation Carriers about the manufacture of plastic bags.

Richard manages the company that manufactures the plastic bags given out by retailers.

He said the issue was not the plastic bags themselves - but how they were used.

Richard Hallett: The issue is what happens to the bag after use

Bags were a marketing tool for shops but also a way for getting goods home.

He said: "You need to be looking at what is happening to the bags after they are used."

Richard said one option might be to print on the bags advice on recycling.

According to Friends of the Earth we use eight million bags in the UK every year.

That is over 300 a year per household - or 134 per person.

Only one in every 200 is recycled.