Shoppers will be asked to pay a charge for carrier bags from October next year, the Scottish Government has announced.
Draft regulations were laid at Holyrood which will see retailers begin to charge the minimum 5p per bag in an attempt to reduce their use.
About 750 million bags are used in Scotland each year, the highest number in the UK, according to Environment Secretary Richard Lochhead.
“The purpose of the charge is to encourage shoppers to think about reusing bags to prevent litter and combat the throwaway culture that Scotland has,” he said.
“It has been successful in other countries where a similar charge has been implemented and I want to see a similar reaction in Scotland.
“It is now time for a national effort to cut the impact of carrier bags in Scotland. Many people already use bags for life, allowing them to reuse and recycle, and this levy will make others stop and think about if they can do the same.
“Anyone with an interest in this move now has a 90-day window to make their feelings known and ensure that they have commented on action which will tackle litter and help achieve a zero-waste society for Scotland.”
The proposal was announced in June following a public consultation last year.
The Government said the charge is not a tax. Retailers would be expected to donate net proceeds to good causes.
Conservative environment spokesman Jamie McGrigor criticised the plan.
“The Scottish Government should be using a carrot rather than a stick approach,” he said.
“Instead of punishing shoppers with yet another unwanted charge on their shopping bill, why not bring in an incentive scheme? This SNP plan will hit shoppers and businesses for millions of pounds, not to mention create an administrative headache for shops right across Scotland.”