The grocer said the move will strip out almost 500 tonnes of plastic bags from its shops.

Sainsbury’s said the shift, which will be made by September, would make it the first UK supermarket to remove plastic bags across its estate.

It will replace them with reusable bags made from recyclable materials, which can be purchased separately by shoppers for fresh produce. Sainsbury’s will introduce paper bags on baked goods.

The move is part of Sainsbury’s wider efforts to remove a further 1,284 tonnes of plastic from its stores this year, in addition to its existing pledge to cut out 1,280 tonnes.