Wimborne's civic chiefs may have bagged themselves a position at the forefront of political debate by taking the lead on plastic carriers.

Cllr Boo Feltham is writing to local business leaders in an attempt to get the town's traders on board with a scheme to reduce the amount of plastic bags handed out at Wimborne's tills.

"My first step will be to contact the Chamber of Trade and see if they are willing to discuss the idea," she said.

The town's Chamber of Trade has already added the consultation to its November agenda. Secretary Reg Dunningham pledged to go the membership on the bag ban.

"We shall ask our members for their opinions and move forward from there," he said.

Ali Shorter, assistant manager at 3 Cooks Bakery, said health and safety was an issue. "We use about 80 bags a day for sausage rolls alone. We have to use bags for hot food to save customers from burning themselves," she said.

Square Records boss, Mark Holman, said he supported the idea and added that a customer-led decline in the use of bags had halved his supply in a year.

"My only problem is that I have to support the record companies by using bags printed with their logos," he said.

Jan Mouzer, proprietor of The Walnut Tree, said she supported the idea and principal and used paper bags sourced from a supplier in Wiltshire for many purchases. But she added that the English weather should be a factor in the council's consultations.

"I can't give a soft toy to a customer without a bag when it's tipping with rain. They'd go home with a soggy teddy," she said.

Steve Hemmings, the boss of West Moors recycling firm Karbie Recycling said supermarkets could get rid of plastic bags entirely. "Shoppers can keep a crate in the boot of the car. They can empty their trolleys into the crate at the supermarket, and carry the crate into the house when they get home. It's as simple as that."

A spokesman for Somerfield said the company is actively promoting its "bag for life".

Local environmentalists welcomed the initiative. Angela Pooley, a co-ordinator at the East Dorset branch of Friends of the Earth, said it was a wonderful idea. "Wimborne town council has been extremely far sighted and we support their initiative wholeheartedly," she said.