The average EU citizen uses around 200 carrier bags, the majority of which are lightweight - thinner than 50 microns – and so less reusable than thicker, more durable bags.
Moreover, in 2010 it is estimated that the EU wasted eight billion plastic bags and it is estimated that every five minutes as many as one million new plastic bags are used across the bloc.
Green MEP Margrete Auken, the parliament's rapporteur on the issue responded to the plenary outcome, saying, "MEPs have… voted to significantly strengthen draft EU rules aimed at reducing plastic bag use and waste, notably to include obligatory European reduction targets and a requirement that plastic bags come at a cost.
"Swiftly phasing-out these bags is a readily-implementable solution to the pervasive problem of plastic waste in the environment" - Margrete Auken
"As front-running countries have demonstrated, dramatically reducing the consumption of these disposal bags is easily achievable with coherent policy.
"Swiftly phasing-out these bags is a readily-implementable solution to the pervasive problem of plastic waste in the environment," she explained.
"MEPs have voted to include clear EU targets to reduce single-use plastic bags by 50 per cent in three years and 80 per cent in five years.
The German deputy continued, "As countries like Ireland have shown, with the right policy, these targets are easily achievable," adding, "Those member states which want to go further and ban single use bags could do so under the proposals voted today. Biodegradable bags would also be included in the EU target.
"However, in those member states which have separate collection of bio-waste, like Italy or Germany, the price of biodegradable bags could be reduced by up to 50 per cent so as to incentivise separate collection of bio-waste," she explained.
"MEPs also supported provisions aimed at ensuring mandatory pricing of plastic bags in the food sector, as well as a strong recommendation to do so in the non-food sector as well. Putting a price on single-use bags is a proven and highly effective policy tool for reducing their excessive consumption," she concluded.
Elsewhere, S&D MEP Judith Merkies said, "Member states must reduce their plastic-bag consumption by 80 per cent in the next five years. And a mandatory charge for plastic bags will be introduced in shops selling food.
"These measures were long overdue and they have already proved to be very effective where they have been applied.
"Today we find lightweight carrier bags everywhere, especially where they don't belong – caught up in trees or discarded along beaches. Plastic carrier bag litter is a burden on the environment, not to mention for the fishing industry and tourism.
"Today we find lightweight carrier bags everywhere, especially where they don't belong – caught up in trees or discarded along beaches"- Judith Merkies
"Eight out of 10 European citizens want the EU to do something about the overuse of carrier bags, according to a public consultation.
"The widely divergent trends between member states - with some countries using 500 bags per person per year and others a mere four - show that it's time for a common approach.
"And more importantly, it's time for a change of mindset among consumers - from taking a free bag from the shop to taking a reusable bag to the shop," she urged.
In addition she praised parliament for rejecting the "misguided amendments that asked for an exemption for the fast food sector".
"They were based on the wrong assumptions," she explained, "No one is preventing the fast-food sector from distributing lightweight carrier bags - they just have to be subject to a charge like any other shop selling food.
"On top of that," she continued, "It would have been a mistake to grant this exemption, as fast-food restaurants produce large amounts of packaging waste. To do so would send the wrong signal to the public."
Finally ALDE deputy Gerben-Jan Gerbrandy said, "Ireland and Denmark have proven that with a tiny levy a 90 per cent reduction of usage of plastic bags can be achieved within months.
"So, let's do so in the whole EU. It is a huge environmental problem, very easy to solve, and people care a lot about it. So let us not waste more time, but quickly move on and serve our citizens and our environment," he said.