Clough's Delicatessen in Lindfield has given notice to its customers that staff will not be handing out bags from June 2.

Instead customers who forget to bring their own cloth bags, baskets or recycled or reusable plastic bags from home will be offered a cardboard box from the back of the shop which has also been previously used for food packaging.

Mark Clough, manager of the Sunte Avenue shop, said the status quo would continue at least until the price of recycled biodegradable bags came down to make them affordable for smaller retailers.

He said: "It's just a matter of seeing how it goes but the reasons for doing it are to help the environment and reduce waste.

"Customers have said by giving them notice we are helping to get them into the mindset of bringing their own bags."

Assistant Linda Knight said nearly all customers had so far been in favour of the changeover with just two expressing disappointment.

She said: "Most of them have said what a brilliant idea and by giving them a couple of months of pre-warning most are already bringing their own bags and baskets."

Clough's is joining a growing number of smaller retailers and communities in Mid Sussex who are clamping down on waste and throwaway plastic bags.

Other include Hassocks where the charity shop Humanity at Heart has started making its own bags; Forest Row where reusable bags have been offered to shoppers; and Balcombe where the parish council has just launched its own reusable bags which are now available from Balcombe Stores.

Many of the bigger food retailers also offer reusable bags for customers to buy including supermarkets like Waitrose, Sainsbury and Tesco.

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