Michelle Stephenson, founder of the group, said the idea of Boomerang Bags was about eliminating free plastic bags and helping the community in their transition to create new habits and change their thinking.  

The initiative means people can borrow a re-usable bag from the shop if they forget their own. Customers are supposed to return the bags once they have taken their shopping home, but this has not been happening. 

Ms Stephenson said in the past year, three big changes have occurred. 

Firstly, major supermarkets have announced they will ban free single use plastic bags as early as June. 

Secondly, the group has successfully had a plastic wise policy implemented in the council plan. The next step is to tackle other single use plastics like straws and water bottles. This means all events held on council land would be single-use, plastic-free.

Thirdly, the group is planning to stage an event involving a group of people going shopping in a supermarket but leaving behind the packaging in an attempt to make a point about useless packaging. 

She said the opposition argument to banning the bag is often people worrying they will need to purchase plastic bags to line their bins and pick up pet waste. 

She says lining a bin is unnecessary and composting will eradicate most of the mess. For pet waste, she said a good trick is to use the bags that bread come in. 

“It’s about re-thinking the everyday,” she said.