EU agrees law to curb plastic bag use

Shoppers cross Oxford Street in central London August 15, 2013. REUTERS/Toby Melville

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - EU governments unanimously approved a new law to slash the use of plastic grocery bags on Friday, hoping to curb litter on land and a spreading "plastic soup" in the world's oceans.

The measure, drafted with the European Parliament, has been criticised by the new EU executive. It says states may struggle to implement legislation which proposes using minimum prices or other methods to cut bag numbers by 80 percent in a decade.