Aldi has announced it plans to remove single-use 5p plastic bags from its stores by the end of the year.

The German supermarket has partnered with sustainability group WRAP’s UK Plastics Pact to cut down on waste and introduce reusable ‘bags for life’, which it will sell for 9p.

The retailer also said it will support a national deposit return scheme for plastic bottles and added all packaging on its own-label products will be recyclable, reusable or compostable by 2022.

Matthew Barnes, CEO of Aldi UK & Ireland, said: “Our customers trust us not only to offer them high-quality products at unbeatable prices but to help them lead healthier, better lives.

“That includes reducing waste, particularly around unnecessary packaging and plastics that damage the environment we live in.”