A group of 33 local London councils has teamed up to demand the British government stop retailers giving away plastic bags to the millions of shoppers in the nation's capital, according to the Associated Press.

They believe a ban will dramatically reduce the estimated 1.6 billion plastic bags used by Londoners each year, many of which are thrown away after just one use.

A few retailers branded the move as "extreme and misguided" and vowed to lobby the government against going ahead with the ban. But the head of the London Councils group, Merrick Cockell, said retailers should be made to sell reusable bags to customers and pass on the money raised to environmental projects.

Strangely enough, the British Retail Consortium believes there is no need for a ban, arguing it will only inconvenience shoppers if it is introduced.

"We think it's excessive and misguided in that retailers are already committed to reducing the environmental impact of bags by 25 per cent by the end of next year," a spokesman said.