HOUSE of Fraser is to give Eden customers paper bags instead of plastic ones - but only when the store doesn't have a sale on.

The company will provide customers with 100 per cent recycled paper bags as well as luxury bags made of laminated paper from its March 13 opening.

Store manager at the Eden centre, Jillian Staniforth said: "It's something that we take extremely seriously.

"We launched our paper carrier bag in September last year across the whole company."

Despite this the company continues to use plastic carriers during sale periods made with 25 per cent recycled polythene.

This is due to cost and practical factors of carrying more items, she added.

The news comes as Wycombe Friends of the Earth this week relaunched its website to promote a campaign to make Eden plastic bag free.

The group - along with the district's Environment Centre - last year presented a petition with more than 1,000 signatures to the centre's manager Daniel Tomkinson.

On receipt of this he said: "An initiative of this magnitude demands a real team effort.

"It will require the facilitation between centre management, store managers, head offices and supply chains of all 106 retail businesses."

He pledged to discuss the proposal with store managers once they are appointed.