The campaign to make Merton the country’s first plastic bag-free borough gathered pace as the Wimbledon Farmers’ Market announced plans to ditch the disposable bag.

Market organisers believe more than 100 people a week will turn their back on the plastic bag when only paper, re-usable and fair trade carriers are on offer from July.

The market is the latest partner to join Sustainable Merton’s Bags for Better Lives Campaign, which saw the borough’s Wimbledon Park ward go bag-free in March – the first area in London.

But organisers of the campaign were dealt a blow last week after Sainsbury’s refused to support its initiative.

Managers from the store in Durnsford Road say they do not have the authority to go plastic-bag free as part of a pilot project even though the Co-operative supermarket in Arthur Road has done just that.

"It’s disappointing," said Mariana Cervantes-Burchell, Bags for Better Lives organiser. "Sainsbury is the missing link in helping us make a real difference.

"But we can safely say that people’s attitudes to this are changing. They are proving that you can galvanise a community into changing things and helping the environment."

Mark Handley, from London Farmers’ Markets, added: "Customers have requested this move for some time.

"We hope to improve the local and wider environment by removing a few more plastic bags from circulation and to support the local Sustainable Merton campaign."

The market takes place in Wimbledon Park Primary School in Havana Road every Saturday morning, with the official bag-free launch at the market on June 28 at 9am.

The launch also coincides with the centenary celebrations of Wimbledon Park Primary – a school famous for its green credentials and keen to support the campaign.