THE public will be able to find out which businesses have not signed a pledge to donate profits from the 5p carrier bag charge to charity.

Firms have been encouraged to hand profits from the charge, introduced last month, to good causes rather than pocket the money and boost profits.

Zero Waste Scotland is inviting firms to sign up for its Carrier Bag Commitment and has launched a new tool to help firms record facts about customers' use of disposable bags.

Retailers employing 10 or more full-time equivalent staff must keep, retain and supply information about bags supplied and proceeds received from the charge.

Information collected will be published in April, meaning companies which have not signed up will be identifiable. Firms including Marks and Spencer, Superdry and Holland and Barrett have already signed the pledge.

Following introduction of the 5p charge, some stores reported a drop in use of carrier bags by 90 per cent.

Environment Secretary Richard Lochhead said: "It has been extremely encouraging to see how so many people across Scotland have adapted to the carrier bag charge by bringing reusable bags. Now that the charge is bedding in, shoppers will expect transparency in how bag numbers are falling and what retailers are doing with the proceeds.

"I am therefore urging retailers large and small to sign up to this commitment to publish their results and donate the proceeds to good causes."

Iain Gulland, chief executive at Zero Waste Scotland, said: "The commitment provides great publicity for both your business and the good causes you support."