According to Government data, the total number of single-use carrier bags sold in the UK between 2020 and 2021 was 488 million. This may sound like a large number, and that’s because it is, but it may be surprising to know that this is down by over 75% from a whopping 2.12 billion between 2016 and 2017. This is because of the introduction of the single use plastic carrier bag charge which came into effect in 2015, which required retailers to charge a minimum of 10p for each single-use carrier bag supplied.
The introduction of government legislation has had an active impact on behaviour of consumers, forcing them towards reusable bag options and reusing their plastic carrier bags. The impact of such a change in behaviour cannot be understated, as the ecological and environmental problems caused by single use plastics are significant – from damage and harm to animals and ecosystems, to toxic pollution caused by the disintegration of plastic harming our environment. What these laws and initiatives fail to do is take away the requirement for the plastic carrier bag, as despite introduction of plastic bag ‘taxes’, we’re still seeing significant amounts of plastic packaging used in day-to-day products and services.
With an undying shopping culture, and the transition to online purchases changing nothing about the requirement for plastic packaging - even as the landscape of human behaviour evolves to become more digitally oriented – disincentivising single-use plastics is not enough to achieve the required impact. Enter: the paper carrier bag, fabric carrier bags, and plastic alternative packaging – products that are incentivised and relied upon to replace plastic with reusable and recyclable solutions. Improving the reusability of bags is fantastic as it allows consumers to make use of the improved utility and longevity of their bags. Recyclable solutions are also great as repurposing the raw materials increases the effective lifespan of each bag.
The problem is that even with these solutions, the net impact on the environment remains significant. The production of paper requires large amounts of timber, and forestry loss has not only caused ecological impacts, but it also exposes people to more diseases. Over 50% of paper that is made each year is produced for packaging (which includes carrier bags), showcasing the reliance on paper as the ‘answer’ to reducing reliance on plastic. However, though paper products are recyclable, only half of the pulp that goes into paper packaging is recycled, and much of it cannot be recycled after use. Further, the paper industry is one of the world’s largest polluters, as well as being one of the heaviest fresh water consumers. It’s certainly true that paper is helping reduce our reliance on plastic, but to achieve what agenda? And at what cost?
Being realistic and honest about the real goal – the goal that will have the desired impact - is crucial to making real progress. While the UK government and corporate businesses may claim to care about the environments with their CSR pledges and PR policies, activities to improve the situation remain very narrowly focussed and avoid the bigger picture. Namely, to have truly eco-friendly packaging (and in our case, carrier bags) we need to care about more than just replacing impactful solutions and bad habits. We also need to avoid replacing them with alternatives that create new, different problems. We shouldn’t be asking the question: how do we reduce single-use plastics? We should be finding a solution to reduce our reliance on all packaging that has harmful impact on the environment. Because a solution should be just that, a solution. Something that solves the problem. So, let’s ask ourselves, what are the ecological problems with carrier bags that need solving?
1. Production – Carrier bag production needs to utilise raw materials in a way that is sustainable and waste-minimising.
2. Utility – Carrier bags need to be strong, functional, uncompromising, and reusable. That, or their minimal usage needs to have a non-damaging impact on the environment.
3. Disposal – Carrier bags need to be either be recyclable such that their material wastage is mostly reutilised, or disposable such that their net environmental impact is non-harmful.
It’s hard to fathom the thought that a simple plastic bag would be an icon of the high-street, but the JD printed plastic drawstring bag is just that – an icon. You wouldn’t have thought that a simple logo on a bold coloured plastic bag could be so memorable and stylish, but this bag has become one of the most popular carrier bags in the UK.
Brands are beginning to wake up to the fact that their carrier bags are more than just a bag, they’re part of the high-street shopping experience. Yes, a simple plastic bag can do the trick, but single-use functionality alone limits the potential of your bags as a marketing tool. Brands are now looking to design a bag that’s stylish, incredibly functional and highly reusable, and when done right you’ve not just got a permanent advertisement, you’ve got something iconic.
When customers are purchasing high-end or expensive products, they’re not just looking for an item, they’re looking for an experience. High-end retailers make a conscious and active decision to introduce and utilise experiential elements into the purchase process to elevate the perceived value of their products and brand. This is often consistent of enticing aromas, thoughtful greetings, smart employee uniforms, spacious & modern retail spaces, free gifts with purchases, and luxury branded gift bags with thoughtful packaging additions.
These experiential elements are important as they not only enhance the purchase experience, but they continue to contribute to the value of the purchase even after the customer exits the store. The experience continuation is most heavily contributed to by the luxury bag, bridging the gap in the experience between purchase and post-purchase. It’s not only experientially crucial; with a luxury and quality carrier bag, high end retailers are showing the value and excellence of their brands to hundreds and thousands of potential customers on the high street. Luxury bags are a key marketing tool, and it’s important to get the balance perfect to leverage all the qualities of a luxury gift bag.
Luxury gift bags are as glamourous as a bag can get. These bags take the ‘carrier bag’ to a whole new level, and in essence, redefine the meaning of what a carrier bag is. No longer does a carrier bag need to be single use, no longer does a carrier bag need to be plain and simple and no longer does a carrier bag need to be a cheap afterthought. With a luxury bag, a carrier bag becomes a brand asset, mirroring the quality of a high-end product and/or service in the robustness and class of the bag’s materials, print and packaging features.
For high-end brands, style and fashion is already baked into the make-up of the brand through both its intrinsic and perceived value. A luxury bag is simply a reflection of, and vessel for that style; a canvas showcasing beautiful brands, elevating classy products, and projecting quality through outstanding look and feel. Style should be effortless, and with a luxury bag, the class is present and obvious before printing, select the handles, adding extra features or choosing the size. With thick, quality paper and the option for matt or glossy lamination, die cut or external handles and a plethora of additional customisation options, Luxury Bags are a true reflection of their name.
When it comes to high end products, the carrier bag can have no compromises. If the bag is not a reflection of the product, branding or the messaging of a marketing campaign, then not only will this lessen the impact of the message, but it will also create inconsistency in the purchase experience. It can also have an impact on the perceived value of the brand – everything must be perfect.
With a Luxury printed gift bag, brands don’t just get the ability to customise the bag, they get full control over the outcome of the bag. With a luxury bag, the level of control over each decision and detail is unparalleled. Firstly, the finish: luxury bags can come with a matt lamination for a smooth, muted and classy finish, glossy lamination for a striking & shiny look, or an unlaminated kraft finish for a natural, organic and rustic look and feel. When it comes to the print, we can match any brand colour pantones, print any design, and we can even print on the inside of the bag. When paired with the right finish, a beautiful design comes to life on a luxury bag.
As a marketing manager or events manager, event season is a key time of year to generate interest in your business. Whether you’re hosting an event or conference, or exhibiting at an industry trade show, it’s an opportunity to showcase your business’s products and services to attendees and build & develop key strategic relationships with relevant members of your industry.
The key to a good event is in the preparation. Knowing what you want out of the event helps you to better understand what you need to put into the event. Especially if you’re the one hosting. Whether you’re simply building an event stall to exhibit or you’re curating your own event with all of the bells and whistles, it’s always best to give yourself plenty of time to plan.
One of the trickiest, but most crucial parts of event marketing is your branded merchandise. Most people consider this to be a simple part of the process, and often it’s left to the last minute as an afterthought. However, branded merchandise, freebies, tote bags and collateral are the tangible, lasting impression you’re going to leave on your event attendees.
When the dust settles, these physical reminders of your brand are key to extending your marketing message and triggering brand recall long after your event has finished. Getting your branded merchandise right is crucial to a successful event that generates business interest and sparks valuable business opportunities long after the doors close.
One of the greatest arrows in your quiver is time. When you’ve got plenty of time, you can complete sufficient research on branded merchandise suppliers to ensure you get quality printed merchandise at a fair price. Last-minute orders can often lead you to stretch your budget to meet the brief, or cause you to compromise on quality in favour of a solution that hits your deadline and budget requirements.
Time also enables you to create a plan for your branded merchandise and achieve cohesion between all elements. Maybe you’re looking for branded clothing with a design that complements and colour matches your branded nick-nacks & freebies? Finding a supplier that can achieve cohesion between these elements is often tricky, as custom merchandise from ‘jack of all trades, master of none’ suppliers will often lack quality in favour of providing a range of options.
You will also want to consider your printed carrier bags. Are you looking for a standard natural-coloured cotton tote bag with a multi-coloured design? Or perhaps you want a tote bag in your branded colour with a simplistic, single-colour design? Maybe a fully custom, high-quality paper gift bag is more reflective of your brand? Certain options may have different lead times, and orders left to the last minute may have to compromise on levels of customisability in favour of a quick turnaround.
Though we primarily supply bags, we’ve got years of experience working with brands attending events, looking to develop cohesive branded merchandise ranges. Our team go above and beyond to help brands fulfil any requirement. We don’t just print on stock we’ve got lying around, we utilise our industry experience to source the best quality products that match your brief, budget and expectations.
Our plastic-free carrier bag range are some of the most environmentally friendly carrier bags we print. From waste-efficient sugar cane bags, to biodegradable potato starch bags.
Get Printed Plastic-Free BagsWe can help you create the next JD drawstring bag. Our printed drawstring bags come in any colour, with your design and print, and options for handle colour customisations. Get a quote now.
Get Printed Plastic Drawstring BagsLevel-up the quality of your carrier bags today. Our team are all about helping you create the perfect luxury bag for your brand, so get in touch for a free, no-obligation quote.
Get Luxury Printed BagsWe're the experts when it comes to printed merchandise, helping you achieve cohesion between all your branded products and assets. Whether you're attending or hosting an event, we can help take the stress away from planning out your branded merchandise by leveraging our experience to help bring your visions to life.
Get A QuoteAs a sports footwear and clothing retailer, JD not only sell fashionable sports garments, but they also sell products that allow their customers to take up or engage in sporting activities. 60% of children alone regularly participated in sporting activities in 2022, showcasing the value in developing a multi-use branded carrier bag that can also act as a sports bag. With JD aware of how their carrier bag could serve more of a purpose than just a one-time-use retail bag, they introduced the JD drawstring bag in 1998.
From a consumer psychology perspective, the bag’s simplicity is the essence of its strength. The bold, large letters are easily readable, which is incredibly important for a plastic drawstring bag as naturally the bag will crease and fold when the cord is pulled, or the bag is full. The black circle on the yellow, white or black background is also an example of ‘Brand Shorthand’ whereby the design elements are instantly recognisable even without the logo or brand name. They act as a visual mnemonic, being recognisable simply because of their unique visual cues and signature aesthetic – again important due to potential obscurities caused when the bag is creased or folded. JD knows it doesn’t need to over-do it, the brand carries itself with the bag as it’s canvas.
A plastic drawstring bag is an obvious choice for JD. Firstly, this bag is not your traditional polythene carrier bag option, most brands opt for a flexiloop plastic carrier bag or a punched-out handle plastic carrier bag. Going against the status quo sets JD apart from their competitors. Secondly, size-wise, a plastic drawstring bag is ideal for most of their products – specifically shoes, as a shoe box can easily fit within the bag and sit comfortably when the bag is worn over the shoulder or on customers’ back. Finally, and perhaps the most crucially, the plastic drawstring bag presents an opportunity for reuse like no other carrier bag option. Not only is the carrier bag stylish, and not only are these bags great for general carrier bag reuse (which these bags are also extremely popularly used for), but with JD’s sporty demographic, the bag is also an ideal gym or sports bag.
Versatility in a carrier bag enables reuse, and with its mixture of style and functionality, the JD plastic drawstring bag is incredibly popular among their young, sporty demographic as a simple backpack. Whether it’s a bag for sports kit, or simply a bag to put water bottles and coats in when meeting up with friends in town, the rope handles make it a great cheap alternative to kit bags, over-the-shoulder-bags and traditional backpacks. Given JD’s appeal to the younger demographic, and their advertising clearly targeting the working class, it’s no wonder why this bag appeals and is regularly reused. With the robustness of the plastic and simple stylishness of the JD print, the bag has gone from being a simple carrier bag to becoming an icon of the highstreet and beyond. It’s gone from being just a simple carrier bag for JD, to being a core asset of their brand.
Recognising how your carrier bag can be more than just a shopping bag can help you increase the reach and strength of your brand. It’s all about leveraging the value of your bag as a promotional tool and a brand asset. JD recognised the importance and strength of their bag as a marketing tool in 2023 with their advertising campaign ‘Bag for life’ – a clever play on the phrase that refers to a long-lasting and free-replacement bag to imply how the versatility of their bag makes it functional for all aspects of ‘life’. The advertising campaign centres around the bag, targets a sporty, active, lower-than-average income demographic, and what’s extremely obvious is the lack of focus on their actual products or the bag’s utility as a carrier bag. Instead, the focus is on how the bag is reused in various day-to-day post-purchase scenarios. Such a campaign really showcases the incredible value and weight that such a simple and (what would be for most brands) an ineffectual ‘afterthought’ packaging product can have on a brand.
Businesses, products and brands are constantly fighting for the attention of customers, paying thousands for digital advertising and massive billboards. The most intelligent, cost-efficient brands are leveraging their existing assets to better drive their messaging and showcase their branding, and that’s exactly what a printed carrier bag can do. Find an option that synergises with your business and create a design that tells potential customers what your brand is all about. When it comes to printed carrier bags, whether it’s paper, plastic, fabric, luxury or plastic alternatives, no-one in the UK knows more than us. If you’re ready to turn your bag into an icon, get in touch with us today.
Our luxury bags are also the only bag we offer that, no matter how many are ordered, full control is given over the size of the bag. We have a luxury bag size guide to help brands ascertain what sizes are generally required for what purpose, but if a bag is needed for a specific product in a particular size, we can make it to any exact specification.
Brands can also select their handle from a range of choices. Either opt for a die cut handle (where the handle is punched out from the bag), a polypropylene or cotton rope handle, or for something more elegant, a cotton, satin or grosgrain ribbon handle. We can also provide different coloured ribbon & rope handles, ensuring brands achieve parity between the handle and the bag’s design allowing both elements to complement each other.
For that extra level of customisation, enabling uniqueness through contrast and tactility, there are also several special personalisation features available on luxury bags. As previously mentioned, a luxury gift bag can be printed on the inside for complete continuity of design, or for special messages. These bags can also be ribbon-closed, mimicking a true ‘gift’ and making each bag feel extra special and private. Eyelets can also be added to the holes around the handle, giving an additional touch of luxury and quality. There are also several specific printing features available for luxury bags. Gloss UV can be applied to create a shiny ‘varnish’-style coating to emblems, logos or lettering on the bag. Hot foil can also be applied as a shiny, high-contrast and stand-out addition to the bag’s design, helping the most important part of your design sparkle. Embossing & debossing also enables brands to add three-dimensional, tactile elements to their bag. This feature allows you to raise or recess the material for specific emblems or lettering to help them stand out on the bag.
The quality of a luxury bag doesn’t just provide perceived value through style, it also increases the reusability of the bag. Luxury bags use Americal Bristol Grade, or C1S papers, which are robust, card-like kraft paper. Laminated or unlaminated, these paper types can stand the test of time and can easily support large quantities of items and weighty items too. Additionally, laminated kraft bags are weatherproof, reducing their compromise as a carrier bag in comparison to plastic.
The handles on a luxury bag also give a soft, comfortable and uniquely luxurious feel, something that just cannot be achieved by other carrier bags. Rope & ribbon handles are particularly strong and long-lasting and can be repurposed by the customer if desired.
Luxury bags also make ideal reusable gift bags, as well as home storage bags due to their quality & style. Not only do their reusability credentials elevate their eco-friendliness, but they also significantly improve their marketing reach, helping to elevate a brand’s exposure.
A luxury bag occupies the space where a carrier bag goes from being an afterthought, to becoming a piece of merchandise. Where something perceived as simply functional becomes something perceived as valuable and desirable. It’s not just about the experiential improvements that a printed luxury bag offers to a product, it’s also about the brand associations and brand exposure that such a bag can deliver.
A luxury bag for high-end products not only offers the most appropriate and stylish option for the product, but it also showcases the brand on a small, portable billboard. Whether the goal is to create specific associations, deliver a key message, or improve the salience of a brand, a luxury bag and the perfect design can be an important marketing tool. Their reusability only further catalyses their effectiveness, with customers regularly showcasing the brand and delivering key messages both explicitly and subliminally. It’s widely reported that consumers can see up to 10,000 ads per day, with brands willing to pay large sums for consumers’ attention. A luxury bag achieves brand exposure as just a perk of its functionality, style and reusability.
For high-end purchases, the focus is always on the product. What a great luxury bag does is cast focus on the product by complementing it – being the ideal size, having features that elevate the whole experience, and showcase the brand in the best possible way. The bag is all about taking the experience home, keeping the brand front-and centre, and increasing the perceived value of the product. With a luxury gift bag, brands gain full control over ensuring consistency between every stage of the product experience and creating a marketing tool that can be extremely powerful at improving their brand’s exposure.
We’ve also worked with hundreds of brands that need a last-minute solution for their event bags. Maybe your branded merchandise and printed carrier bags were the last thing on the list, or perhaps you’ve been let down by your current supplier? Our experienced team can achieve even the tightest turnarounds on even highly custom requirements. If you need bags or branded merchandise quickly, give us a call on 01438 873840.
Branded event merchandise isn’t about creating colourful printed pens, badges and notepads that bring people to your stall for 30 seconds. It’s not about creating t-shirts and tote bags that will end up in the back of someone’s closet (or worse, the bin). It’s about helping customers to recall the emotions and feelings they went through during the conversations they had with your salespeople and the experience they had with your brand. Branded merchandise is now your business card of 20 years ago, and the quality and cohesion of your offering has to match the professionalism and value of your brand.
We believe the most important part of your branded merchandise is your branded event bag. When people are walking around at your event with your printed bag, or using it for shopping long after your event has concluded, these people become walking advertisements for your business. Not only this, but reuse of a printed carrier bag also means that your event attendees are consistently seeing your brand in their home. With people seeing 4,000-10,000 ads every day, exposing prospects to your brand on a consistent basis (without having to pay for advertising) is not only effective, but cost-efficient.
Though generating hot leads can often be the primary requirement of an event, for the marketing team, an event can be fruitful for demand generation activities too. Branded merchandise is a fantastic tool for filling up the top of your sales funnel, as many event attendees won’t always be ready to buy. Whether they simply don’t need your product or service, have an existing business relationship with a competitor, or they just aren’t yet at the stage of needing what your business does, there may be a point in the future where this changes. Building good relationships with even the coldest leads and providing them with branded merchandise can help with brand recall when they reach the lower stages of the funnel. Whether it’s in a year’s time, or 10 years’ time, these sales can be attributed to the very first touchpoint with that prospect: at your event.
With our years of experience and wealth of positive customer reviews, you can rest assured that we know what we’re doing when it comes to branded merchandise and promotional event bags. We’ve worked with top brands across a range of industries. For example, we regularly work with Formula 1 teams, creating branded merchandise for their season-opener events. Recently, we worked with Years.com to create branded carrier bags as well as custom counter bags for their attendance at Crufts that worked cohesively to meet their budget and quality brief.
Email us at enquiries@carrierbags.co.uk or call us on 01438 873840 to discuss your requirements.
How a carrier bag (or any packaging product) is produced is an often-overlooked factor in considering what makes an eco-friendly bag. Production, in this instance, refers to the damage from raw material harvesting, quantities of non-renewable materials used, efficiency of production, material wastage, and carbon emissions generated from both supply and manufacturing. Government agendas claim to care about reducing single-use plastics and replacing them with recyclable solutions such as paper, but when the production of a recyclable alternative also causes damage and wastage, one must question the benefits of such a solution.
Natural & sustainable materials that are not only renewable, but non-harmful to the environment and waste-efficient (both in terms of utilising waste materials and reducing waste output) should be favoured. Wastage is the most significant and perhaps overlooked issue. Reducing energy, water and material waste can both improve the efficiency of the production process as well as the environmental impact of harmful biproducts. Supply chain impact also needs to be factored, and solutions that take advantage of domestic or clean material transport solutions can also improve the net impact of carrier bag production.
It’s not just the functionality of a bag-for-life that needs to be considered in its eco friendliness, it’s the utility and desirability. Ultimately, a bag needs to perform the basic functions of a bag, but to extend its life past just a few uses, consumers need to want to use it. It’s the same with any form of container or receptacle – people can (and do) reuse plastic bottles, but it’s more desirable to reuse something stronger, comfortable, ergonomic and stylish, and as such most people opt for reusable cups and bottles for their day-to-day drinks’ container.
With shopping bags, it’s unlikely that a consumer will go out of their way to purchase a shopping bag, something that is typical for other products like bottles. In general, a carrier bag will be purchased from a retailer specifically to contain the main product/purpose for the transaction. Therefore, even though a bag can be considered just a form of packaging, retailers need to consider that their choices (material, features, style, ergonomics etc) will factor heavily in a consumer’s decision to purchase a reusable bag, and to then reuse it. Those choices also need to factor in considerations such as the eco-friendly production methods, so it’s a fine balance to achieve something that ticks all the boxes.
What also needs to be considered is that, if a customer simply finds something easier, they’ll typically prefer it. Shopping bags are not fashion pieces, nor are they products that customers will typically want to spend much money on. They’re very often an afterthought (particularly in retail). Because of this, the need for a single-use bag will never go away. Solely prioritising improvements to utility and functionality will help, but will it solve the problem? Can we find a way of creating a bag that is efficient in its production, satisfies the single-use bag desirability, and is non-harmful in its disposal? Well, we already have in biodegradable bags.
The primary issue with plastic waste is the toxicity of its production, pollution and disintegration, paired with its undesirability for reuse. Biodegradable bags such as potato starch carrier bags are made from natural materials that disintegrate into water, CO2 and organic matter over a short period of time, eliminating the problems with bag disposal. We’ll discuss this further in a second, but what a biodegradable option does is create an alternative narrative; one not focussed on reuse, but on materials that have less impact when used once.
Ultimately, the disposal of carrier bags is perhaps the most important factor when considering their eco-friendliness. It’s the culmination of their cycle of usefulness (deemed by the user) and the point at which their properties will become waste, ready to either be recycled or rotted.
Recycling is often a great practice, and it allows us to get more use out of our raw materials. Most bags can be recycled, although the extent to which all of a bag’s material components can be repurposed will change from bag to bag. Also, recycling requires further input such as energy and material to repurpose the recycled materials, meaning that the process doesn’t have a net-neutral impact. Recycling mitigates single-use items, and prevents waste going to landfill, but it doesn’t solve the problem of waste having lasting effects on the environment.
Biodegradable bags change the problem. It’s no longer a case of how we better utilise our waste, it’s now a case of how we can produce bags (and other packaging products) using materials that have a neutral or positive effect on the environment when disposed of. Ultimately, the use of natural materials to create bags that can biodegrade is not just sustainable, its regenerative. As an eco-friendly option, a biodegradable bag should solve the problem of disposal. Unfortunately, because these bags require sunlight and oxygen to biodegrade, if these bags get mixed in with other landfill waste, they will take a long time to break down. Though their eventual disintegration will be less environmentally impactful, their benefit is reduced significantly if not correctly separated from standard plastic waste.
At the point of disposal, evaluating the bag’s eco-friendliness as a sum of all three of its stages can help give an idea as to what an eco-friendly option is. With lots of options, you’ll find that bags can tick boxes in one stage but lack in others. Some examples include:
Paper bags cause significant issues in their production. Not only does their production cause deforestation, thus the removal of trees which remove greenhouse gases from the atmosphere, but they also take significant amounts of water to produce. Additionally, their production takes large amounts of energy and is heavily polluting.
With regards to utility, paper bags are cheap, printable and storable. There are some drawbacks with regard to robustness, such as proneness to tears and liquids, however for most uses, these bags are fine.
Paper is arguably one of the best bags with regards to disposal, as it can be recycled at home, and the material can biodegrade.
Paper bags cause significant issues in their production. Not only does their production cause deforestation, thus the removal of trees which remove greenhouse gases from the atmosphere, but they also take significant amounts of water to produce. Additionally, their production takes large amounts of energy and is heavily polluting.
With regards to utility, paper bags are cheap, printable and storable. There are some drawbacks with regard to robustness, such as proneness to tears and liquids, however for most uses, these bags are fine.
Paper is arguably one of the best bags with regards to disposal, as it can be recycled at home, and the material can biodegrade.
Paper bags cause significant issues in their production. Not only does their production cause deforestation, thus the removal of trees which remove greenhouse gases from the atmosphere, but they also take significant amounts of water to produce. Additionally, their production takes large amounts of energy and is heavily polluting.
With regards to utility, paper bags are cheap, printable and storable. There are some drawbacks with regard to robustness, such as proneness to tears and liquids, however for most uses, these bags are fine.
Paper is arguably one of the best bags with regards to disposal, as it can be recycled at home, and the material can biodegrade.
Paper bags cause significant issues in their production. Not only does their production cause deforestation, thus the removal of trees which remove greenhouse gases from the atmosphere, but they also take significant amounts of water to produce. Additionally, their production takes large amounts of energy and is heavily polluting.
With regards to utility, paper bags are cheap, printable and storable. There are some drawbacks with regard to robustness, such as proneness to tears and liquids, however for most uses, these bags are fine.
Paper is arguably one of the best bags with regards to disposal, as it can be recycled at home, and the material can biodegrade.
Potato starch carrier bags tick all the boxes, from production all the way through to disposal.
These bags are natural and made from renewable materials. They're also strong and robust, providing a genuine alternative to plastic that does not get compromised in bad weather.
They're also 100% biodegradable, meaning they can be easily added to a compost heap. It's worth noting that improper disposal, such as sending them to a landfill site, can cause issues with the degradation process, so it's important to provide guidance to customrs on how best to dispose of their bags.
Plastic bags fall down on their production and disposal factors. Though plastic bags can be recycled, and made from recycled plastic, their production is generally unsustainable as they're made from ethylene, a biproduct of oil production. Though this is waste efficient, their reliance on fossil fuel production is a net negative impact.
Plastic is however the strongest, cheapest and lightest material for carrier bags. From a utility perspective, no other bag is more versatile and cost-effective.
Plastic bag disposal is generally harmful as these bags cannot be recycled at home, and therefore will often end up at landfill.
Jute bags are a great alternative bag that ticks all the boxes. Production is completely natural and low in wastage of both water and energy. Utility is fantastic, and perhaps the most significantly valuable asset of a jute bag. These bags are highly reusable, comfortable and ergonomic to hold, strong, and are large enough to carry many items. These bags are also biodegradable, meaning they will decompose over time. They can also be recycled, which is an added benefit.
Evaluating the eco-friendliness of a bag choice is not as simple as saying ‘this bag is recyclable and performs mostly the same function as plastic’. In fact, given that polythene is completely recyclable (just not in all home bins), by that argument it’s just as eco-friendly as paper. It’s incredibly important to measure the impact of the bag’s entire life cycle, from the sustainability of the materials, right through to its disposal and degradation.
It’s also important to measure the impact on businesses. Cost is important, and to force businesses to choose alternatives is like placing a tax on eco-consciousness. Should governments be taxing plastic bags, or should they be subsidising the use of non-polythene alternatives? Or should the disincentive fund the other? Ultimately, any move away from plastic is a compromise for businesses and incentivising them to seek out plastic alternatives (that tick all the boxes) as the most valuable solution could provide the best method to transition towards a plastic-free world. Ultimately, it’s the businesses who buy the bags, and the consumers who use them, that decide which bags will be used. To transition to fully eco-friendly carrier bags, alternatives with the lowest environmental impact need to be chosen, and only will if there’s a no financial or functional down-side to doing so.
From what was once a simple, functional receptacle to what is now an essential marketing tool for retailers across the world, the carrier bag is an often overlooked but essential part of our daily lives. We take for granted how simple and easy carrier bags make once complex tasks, and it’s easy to forget that there was once a time when these items did not exist. From the humble beginnings of the first paper carrier bags to the modern-day printed bags, we will explore the complete history of the carrier bag.
Surprisingly, there was a time when carrier bags didn’t exist. Mental pictures of people balancing their shopping in their arms or in a sack over their shoulder probably emerge, but it was more common for shoppers to bring their own wicker baskets. These were heavy, not particularly ergonomic, and not especially great for storing lots of items. This was prior to the 19th century (so during the 1700s), so shoppers would typically walk to the market with a wicker basket (or even a bucket or leather sack) to purchase all of their shopping and heave it all home.
This was obviously not ideal and led to innovations during the 19th century aimed at improving the shopping experience. Paper bags were first produced in the mid-19th century, with the first machine for making paper bags patented in 1851. In 1871, flat-bottom paper bags were invented, meaning they could stand on their own and hold higher quantities, and heavier objects. These initial designs were the saplings that would one day turn into the mighty oak called ‘paper carrier bags’ that we use nowadays. The only problem – neither of these bag innovations had handles. They were certainly useful for storing items for easy transport, but without handles, they were very tricky to use for manual transport of shopping.
The invention of the paper carrier bag that we know today is credited to a mix of work from Charles Stillwell and Walter Deubener. In 1883, Stillwell received a grant on a patent to create a machine that would be able to mass produce square-bottom bags – an invention he coined ‘Self-Opening Sacks’. At the turn of the 20th century, Deubner, a grocer, noticed that people were having difficulty using these paper sacks to carry their groceries by hand. Not only did he realise that this caused frustration for customers, but it also limited the amount they could spend in his store.
Over the following few months, Deubner would experiment with prototypes for bags with handles. His eventual ‘eureka’ moment came after awaking in the middle of the night with an idea to punch holes in the top and bottom of the bag, threading string through the holes. String would also be threaded into holes in the side of the bag to form handles and would also be run underneath the bag to reinforce it for extra strength. Deubner and his wife then made some prototypes and tested them, finding that they could easily hold around 10kg worth of goods. They then created 50 bags and sold them in their store for $0.05 USD each, equivalent to around $0.92 USD today. The bags sold out before noon the same day, and eventually Deubner had the invention patented in 1929, after which they moved into the shopping bag business full-time. This was the beginning of the carrier bag with handles.
Just a few years after the first patent for a paper carrier bag with handles was conceived, two scientists from a chemical plant in Northwich, UK, discovered polythene plastic accidentally. In 1933, while conducting experiments with ethylene (a base material of polythene derived from oil) the scientists accidentally allowed trace amounts of oxygen to enter their ethylene samples. The addition of oxygen into the sample created a completely new substance. Unfortunately, because their experimental mistake simply introduced trace amounts of oxygen into the process, it was difficult to reproduce the results. It wasn’t until a further 5 years had passed, in 1938, that another scientist from the chemical plant would be able to reproduce the results. By 1939, the production of this material, now known as low-density polythene (LDPE) was able to be produced at an industrial scale.
The timing of the industrialisation of LDPE was strategically convenient for the UK war effort. Never before was there such a material that was so cheap to produce, so abundant, so strong, and so light. During the Second World War, polythene was a military secret and strategic advantage for the Allies, enabling innovations such as underwater cable coating and radar insulation for use on planes.
It wasn’t until 1965 that polythene would be used to create a one-piece polythene carrier bag. This invention was designed by an engineer, Sten Gustaf Thulin, and was patented by the Swedish company, Celloplast. These bags became a mainstay in Europe over the ensuing 10 years as a result of their cheapness, lightness, strength and ergonomics. It wasn’t until the late 1970s that plastic carrier bags made it to the USA, and even then, it took a few more years for the largest supermarkets to begin stocking them.
From the 1980s onwards, plastic carrier bags ruled supreme. These bags were so cost-effective that brands would not even need to charge for them. The original theory by Deubner, way back in the early 20th century, that customers would use carrier bags to increase their consumption was correct. Brands realised that providing carrier bags was not just about helping their customers carry their shopping, but helping them carry more shopping. Polythene was a fantastic material to further exacerbate consumer shopping habits – it’s strength and versatility enabled customers to carry more items easily, and bags could be disposed of after one use.
With businesses across the world focused on convenience and cost savings, polythene proved a useful material option. It wasn’t just single-use bags that were an ideal use case for polythene, this material was perfect for most packaging due to its cleanliness, versatility, and obviously, how cheap it was to produce. Brands blindly committed to this no-brainer material choice in the pursuit of convenience for their consumers and competitiveness in their marketplace. By the turn of the millennium, plastic carrier bags were an unstoppable force, and there was a distinct lack of public awareness (and care from businesses) about any external factors or impacts of this.
Though there were always voices of concern for the damaging effects that single-use plastic carrier bags and plastic packaging were having on the environment, it wasn’t really until the turn of the millennium that actual changes were starting to be introduced. A report from the UK Environment Agency in 2011 shows that this was the time when the impact of carrier bags became a real discussion.
By this time, plastic carrier bags were mostly typically lightweight vest-style carrier bags made from high-density polythene (HDPE). These bags were ideal, as they used low amounts of product so were incredibly cheap to produce and store, had high carry-capacities, and were incredibly ergonomic for consumers. The main problem with these bags were that their design was specifically formulated for single use, meaning these bags were commonly disposed of, or worse, littered.
The UK Environment Agency report studied the environmental impact of a range of carrier bag types, concluding that all carrier bag options’ environmental impact is ‘dominated’ by their environmental damage caused in their production stage. It heavily points to re-use as the most important factor in increasing the environmental performance of a carrier bag with respect to its impact on global warming. This however does not consider other damaging factors such as impact on ecosystems – something that plastic decomposition is heavily problematic for. The turn of the 2010s saw the first signs of governments and businesses looking for alternatives to single-use plastic carrier bags.
For many years, the only carrier bags consumers ever needed were plastic bags. Sure, other options might have been available, but these would have needed to be bought, whereas thin HDPE bags were free.
In the 2000s and 2010s, there were alternatives available for consumers to choose from at many retailers. Fabric tote bags made from materials such as cotton, canvas and jute have been around as long as the plastic carrier bag. These shopping bags provided a reusable, comfortable and stylish alternative, though, their quality often meant retailers would need to charge for the bags.
The ’Bag for Life’ that we know today was conceptualised and launched in 1998. The bag for life is typically a woven polythene bag of much sturdier and ergonomic construction than any lightweight HDPE or LDPE bag. These bags provided a favourable, reusable option for consumers, and have proved popular and effective even to this day. These bags are purchased once, and if broken or damaged, can be returned and replaced. All spent bags are then typically recycled by the supermarket, either by reusing the materials for future bags, or turning them into new items. In the first instance of the bag for life, Waitrose’s closed-loop initiative saw returned & broken bags made into black benches, which were then placed outside of Waitrose stores.
Though increasing reusability was a key factor in addressing the impact of single-use plastic bags, it never addressed the issues that came about from the convenience that these bags had. Because of thus, paper carrier bags became popular among brands and consumers seeking a single-use plastic alternative (don’t call it a comeback). Paper has a wide perception of being environmentally friendly, being made from what is perceived as sustainable materials, and being easy to recycle at home.
In 2015, the UK Government introduced a policy aimed at reducing the number of single-use plastic carrier bags consumed by UK retail consumers. The policy placed a 5p charge on all single-use plastic carrier bags, intending to disincentivise the use of plastic carrier bags. Because plastic carrier bags were free until this point, this introduced a new consideration for shoppers to consider when shopping. It made it more cost-effective to select reusable options and made UK consumers consider the quantity of single-use bags they were using, rather than mindlessly using as many bags as they wanted.
We won’t spend too much time in this article delving into the details of this charge, as we’ve already created a retrospective deep dive into the charge here. The main takeaway is that the introduction of this charge did affect plastic bag usage, reducing it significantly. In the UK, the average number of single-use carrier bags purchased by the average person has fallen from 140 in 2014, down to just 3 in 2023. It also had the effect of increasing usage of reusable options and even forcing supermarkets to swap out thin vest-style polythene bags for thicker, more ergonomic and reusable polythene bags (which can have varying degrees of benefit). It did not, however, address issues surrounding plastic bag disposal, nor did it completely address the UK’s reliance on plastic carrier bags.
Similar initiatives across the world have sought to curb plastic reliance, with taxes, incentives and straight-up bans introduced to actively affect a behaviour change in consumers. A prevalent issue with this can mostly be traced back to the original conclusion of the 2011 UK Environment Agency report, that the defining impact of all carrier bag types comes from the bag’s production. Even the most eco-friendly alternatives require power and raw materials to create, leading to significant environmental impacts. This sheds light on how reliant the world is on carrier bags, that with even frequent iteration and innovation, we’re still yet to find a true eco-friendly option.
There’s no definitive information that confirms when carrier bags began to be printed. In fact, the first iteration of the handled carrier bag by Walter Deubner was decorated by his wife by using magazine cut-outs. From even the very beginning, the opportunity to use a carrier bag as a stylish and impactful tool that can catch the eye of passersby was always recognised.
In the post-war era, marketing and advertising rose in significance alongside consumerism. The opportunity presented to brands to increase their visibility and share their messaging with the masses grew, and the success and value generated from this was invaluable. With the ability to print branding and messaging on carrier bags, just like with product packaging, came a further opportunity to increase brand visibility.
In the 20th century, vast levels of consumption meant a requirement for similarly vast numbers of bags. As such, the impact of printed carrier bags was something brands couldn’t ignore. Nowadays, printed carrier bags are commonplace, though a reduction in single-use bag consumption may have somewhat impacted the effectiveness of the printed bag as a marketing tool.
The modern printed bag has transitioned slightly from what it previously was. Higher consumption of reusable options has meant that branding and messaging on a carrier bag needs to have longevity and greater impact. The influence of digital channels has introduced the need for website information to be included in printed bags, and integrations such as QR codes have become popular to transition between on and offline channels. Further, growth in e-commerce channels has reduced the reliance on printed carrier bags for all shopping interactions, transitioning this to other forms of printed packaging like printed mailing bags. Nevertheless, the marketing impact of a printed carrier bag in the retail arena remains as important as it always has been.
One of the modern evolutions of the printed carrier bag is the luxury gift bag. These bags take what was once a functional tool and turns it into a value-adding piece of branded merchandise. These bags, along with fabric options, are popularly used at events for holding branded merchandise. For high-end events hosted by big brands, these bags enable the highest level of customisation possible. The luxury bag enables customisation of all aspects of the bag, not just the print, levelling up the idea of a ‘printed carrier bag’ to a truly ‘bespoke carrier bag’. Seeing how much value these bags can add to an event experience, many high-end retail brands are beginning to adopt these as their retail carrier bag, potentially indicating the direction of the next era of printed carrier bags.
As we enter into the second quarter of the 21st century, we’re beginning to wake up to the many facets of environmental impact. It’s not just about the impact of disposal or production, it’s about the net impact of all of the stages of a bag’s life cycle. This has significant implications for carrier bags, as well as the entire packaging industry. The past 20 years have been a war against plastic, because the previous 30 years showcased the environmentally destructive nature of an unregulated ‘plastic-everything’ approach. The problem is, as we transition away from plastic, we’re replacing a problem with more problems. Our blog on what makes a truly eco-friendly carrier bag delves deeper into this topic, but what we’re seeing is the wrong solution implemented for the issues we’re seeing with the impact of single-use plastics.
As we mentioned earlier, when we discussed the initial discovery of polythene, plastic is made from a substance called ethylene. Ethylene is a byproduct of fossil fuel production, and as such, is considered a waste product. The manufacturing of plastic in many instances is a positive utilisation of this waste product. The problem lies in our over-reliance on fossil fuels, which means that in the medium-long term, polythene reliance will need to be reduced alongside our reliance on fossil fuels.
However, though paper is perceived as an eco-friendly alternative to polythene, its production and transportation are much more environmentally damaging than polythene. This is because of both the highly damaging effects of deforestation required to source wood to make paper pulp, as well as the large amounts of water and energy required in its production. Furthermore, though paper can be recycled, stats suggest that a significant portion of paper waste is not recycled, either because it is not disposed of correctly, or the paper has reached the end of its useful life.
Reusable alternatives such as cotton, canvas and jute also have significant environmental drawbacks. Although they help customers avoid single-use options, a cotton bag needs to be reused 7,100 times for it to be considered an environmentally friendly alternative to plastic.
Many brands are beginning to realise that, in the pursuit of an anti-plastic transition, we’ve regressed on progress towards environmental friendliness. Many well-researched and considered brands are transitioning away from paper & fabric options, and in many cases, moving back to polythene. We’re not saying here that plastic is the best material option for carrier bags – in the UK, plastic carrier bags cannot be recycled at home, meaning they will always have a significant disposal impact until this is addressed. However, these bags are recyclable at specific recycling points, meaning that when the loop is closed, brands are finding them to be the best balance of cost & environmental impact.
Who knows what’s in store for the future of the carrier bag? Certainly, if consumer culture continues to be popular, we’ll forever rely on its functionality and marketing benefits. But as their environmental impact becomes ever more prevalent, a transition to more sustainable and less damaging innovations will become imperative.
