Wire shopping baskets go missing
All profits made from the carrier charges are going to island charities
A large number of wire shopping baskets have disappeared from supermarkets around Jersey.
The Channel Islands' Co-operative Society said branches of its supermarkets throughout the island had been affected.
About 100 baskets have been taken from St Peter's Co-Op - 75% of those available in the shop.
The baskets have disappeared in the past five weeks, when a charge was introduced for plastic carrier bags.
Some people are taking the baskets straight out to their cars
Jim Hopley, Co-op
The 5p charge was introduced at the beginning of May to help reduce the environmental damage and cost of disposing of plastic bags.
All profits from the carriers are being given to the Jersey Hospice and local environmentally-friendly causes.
The chief executive of the Co-op said the scale of the problem had been "surprising".
Jim Hopley told BBC News the company did not believe islanders were deliberately "stealing" the baskets.
Bags for life
"I think it's more a case of shoppers who have forgotten to bring their bags with them are being tempted to utilise the wire baskets," he said.
"I've witnessed it myself. Some people are taking the baskets straight out to their cars, then bringing them back the next time they shop and doing it again.
"I'm sure it will settle down, but we're a little concerned because the baskets cost about £3 to £4 each."
Mr Hopley said the Co-op was offering shoppers good quality bags for life for 10p each.
Island supermarkets run by Chequers and Marks & Spencer have also introduced a charge for carriers, but said they were not aware of a similar problem.
