Four major food retailers have pledged to donate cash from the 5p carrier bag levy to a major drive to tackle dementia.

And other major retailers say cash raised by the 5p levy will go to good causes.

Grange Moor-born Malcolm Walker, chief executive of Iceland, has joined his counterparts at Asda, Morrisons and Waitrose to pledge funds from the new levy on single-use carrier bags to support the building of a new world class dementia research centre at University College London.

The £350m project – which aims to find a cure for dementia by 2025 – currently has a shortfall in funding of £100m and the cash generated by carrier bag sales could help bridge much of that gap. Prime Minister David Cameron has already voiced his enthusiasm for the involvement of UK retailers to make the development possible.

Read more: Shoppers to be charged 5p per plastic carrier bag in a bid to reduce waste

As well as committing funds from their own stores, Iceland founder Mr Walker and counterparts Andy Clarke at Asda, Mark Price at Waitrose and David Potts at Morrisons have written to the chief executives of all other UK food retailers, urging them to lend their support either this year or in any of the next five years.

The letter said: “The carrier bag levy is a windfall amount of money for good causes that retailers can tap into on top of their normal fundraising activities. Just one year’s money from all major retailers would easily make up this shortfall.”

It added: “We realise that most retailers will already have earmarked funds for the many worthwhile causes they support but we invite and encourage you to join with us and make a commitment either for this year or any time in the next five years.”

Iceland CEO Malcolm Walker

It said: “We believe this is a seriously worthwhile cause that will bring life-changing benefits to millions of our customers in future years and also immediate public recognition and appreciation of our efforts as retailers who for perhaps the first time can put on a united front.”

Other major retailers in Huddersfield and the causes they are supporting with the levy include:

  • Sainsbury’s Shorehead – Friend to Friend
  • Sainsbury’s Market Street – Whiteknights emergency voluntary blood bike charity
  • WH Smith – the Woodland Trust, Shelter and the retailer’s community grant fund for local good causes)
  • Poundland – Macmillan Cancer Support
  • Tesco Viaduct Street – Diabetes UK and Macmillan Cancer Support
  • Boots – Children in Need
  • Wilkinsons – the Prince’s Trust, the Woodland Trust, In Kind Direct (which redistributes products from companies to charities), and sustainability charity Wrap
  • Aldi – RSPB