Are we fooled by the costs of plastic bags?
The World Health Organization (WHO) suggests that all plastic carrier bags should be taxed to help a cleaner planet.
This is probably well thought out, but at the same time can be used as a cover to move large sums to accounts that we will never benefit from.
One example is the regulations within the EU. The production or importation of plastic bags, which are not made from recycled material, is taxed at €0.80 per kg, (in addition to this there are state taxes in some countries). For example, in Spain, the state receives €724 million extra per year.
A small calculation example: Supermarkets buy plastic bags with a tax surcharge included for the environment. The price they pay is max. €0.06 per bag. Now they say that the customer must pay €0.15 including the tax markup for the environment, but in the end, they have a gross profit of €0.09, because they have already paid the environmental tax when purchasing.
The manufacturer or importer has included €0.80 per kilo, plastic bags, according to the environmental tax regulations within the EU, in the final price to the wholesaler.
Each carrier bag weighs 20 grams = 50 pieces per kilo (1000 gr.), i.e., €0.016 per plastic bag, this included in the purchase price of €0.06.
The end consumer in shops and supermarkets pays €0,15 per bag and 1 kg. bags are 50 pcs. That will sum €7.50 per kg., the tax is €0.80 per kg.
Who takes the difference of €6.70 per kg plastic bags?
3.4 million tons of plastic carrier bags are produced in the EU every year. This corresponds to the weight of more than two million cars!
This is a huge business for everyone, except the end user!
I will admit that my profession isn’t mathematic, but I have reached this result by logic and reason.
Anyone that can prove that I am totally wrong, are welcome to make comments. I will give my own calculations a 10-20% margin.
Thanks for reading my blog.
#windmush / #curtbergsten
