Carrier bags

Buy from a massive range of best value carrier bags now, including clear, coloured, biodegradable and printed carriers.

Carrier bags are...

• Polythene bags used to carry items, usually shopping
• Also known as carriers, shopping bags or plastic bags
• Provided (or sold) by retailers everywhere, from charity shops to high-end departments stores and corner shops to supermarkets
• Carried by billions of customers across the planet
• An ergonomic solution to carrying shopping
• Designed to be easy to carry, with convenient carry handles, allowing the shopper to carry more than one bag with each hand
• Available in a wide range of sizes to cater for small or large products
• Available in a range of thicknesses, from lightweight supermarket shopping bags to deluxe glossy luxury carriers
• Available in a range of coloured polythene, either plain or printed
• A great way for a retailer to increase publicity - add your logo to the side of a carrier bag for ready-made mobile advertising!
• An integral part of any retailer’s branding and advertising strategy
• An invaluable aid in carrying shopping from store to home
• Suitable to use and reuse for numerous shopping trips, time after time
• Multi-purpose bags - can be used for many and varied purposes, aside from shopping

Ten things you didn't know about biodegradable

What Are Biodegradable Bags: A Brief On History, Uses And Industrial Impact

Biodegradable bags were invented to reply a proper disposal problem, not to create another label for shoppers to decode. Conventional plastic bags can linger after use, so a few sectours wanted a pack that would smash down faster when it ended up in the gross place. That makes sense in shopping, food service, and light industrial packing where bags are often used once and thrown away. The grasp is that the material still has to perform properly while it is in service, with enough strength for handling, sealing, and transport. A bag that fails also early creates litter and product loss, so the invention was frequently about balancing short life after use with proper behaviour on the shelf and on the shop floor.

7 eco-friendly holidays for travel that leaves less of a trace

An eco-friendly holiday requirements practical packing as much as it requirements a superb environmental story. Light, compact secondary packing cuts weight in transport, which assists lower fuel use and leaves more room for worthwhile stock rather than air. In a warehouse, that often means selecting cartons and transit wraps that keep safe contents without above-specifying board grade or film gauge. Too much material adds cost, makes handling harder, and can create more waste at the other stop. The safest option is normally the one that gives enough protection for the journey, then recycles cleanly after use.

Environmentally Friendly Companies

An environmentally friendly burial ground relies on the materials and maintenance selections manufactured behind the scenes, not only on the sentiment behind the view. A site that avoids heavy hard landscaping, skips unnecessary plastics, and uses normal ground cover can reduce long-term disturbance to soil and drainage. The same thinking applies to memorial fixtures, which need to suit the ground conditions and not create future repair work for the keepers. Good planning also assists with mowing, access, and the proper care of the area through the seasons. Done properly, the place stays respectful without becoming a burden on the land.

Biodegradable packaging is often chosen for applications where short service life matters above long-term durability. A material that is designed to smash down below commercial composting conditions can suit food waste sacks, loose-occupy items, or temporary secondary packs, nevertheless the spec still has to match the proper handling route. If it sits in a damp warehouse, acquires mixed with normal plastic waste, or is sent through the gross assortment stream, the promised breakdown may not ever happen as intended. The practical job is not only selecting a green-sounding material, nevertheless making sure the disposal route exists and is understood all the method through the chain.

Green biodegradable bags only work properly when the gauge is matched to the waste stream, because kitchen scraps are heavier and wetter than plenty people expect. Peelings, tea bags and leftover food sit in the caddy with a fair amount of moisture, so a weak film can split before assortment and leave residue on the liner and the bin. That creates additional cleaning at the back stop and puts pressure on depot handling. A sound specification gives enough strength for wet occupy while still breaking down at the proper rate, so the bag does its job without turning assortment rounds into a mess.

Biodegradable bags make sense when the material specification is matched to the job, not when the label does the selling. A bag that sees green on paper can still fail if the gauge is also light, the film has poor seal quality, or static makes it awkward on the line. That is why procurement teams need to see past the promise and ask how the bag behaves in store, in transit, and below load. A well-chosen bag should pack cleanly, stack neatly, and cause less trouble at the select-face. When that happens, handling damage drops and the all packing process becomes easier to control.

Ziplock Clear Bags

Clear bags give the clearest view of the product, and that simple advantage often matters above a printed sleeve or like outer wrap. In shopping packing and warehouse picking, being able to see the contents at a glance speeds checks, reduces sorting errours, and assists staff spot damaged or short-dated stock before it leaves the line. Clear polythene suppliers also suits items that need resealing, because a ziplock closure retains dust out while letting returns or repeated access happen without switching pack style. The trade-off is that clarity shows all scuff and speck of pollution, so film quality and clean handling still matter. That makes transparent bags a practical selection where visibility and fast identification count.

Breaking down the British study on the environmental impacts of grocery carrier bags

Carrier bags need to be specified for the load and the conditions they will meet, not only for how they see on a display. A light paper bag can transport dry products neatly, nevertheless its strength drops fast if the contents are heavy or the bag selects up moisture in transit or at the till point. Thicker plastic versions cope better with awkward shapes and higher weights because the gauge gives more reserve strength without adding much bulk. That matters in dispatch and stock handling also, since a bag that splits early leads to returns, mess and avoidable handling damage.

Grey Mailing Bags Strong Poly Postal Postage Post Mail Self Seal All Sizes Cheap Grey Mailing - £151.99

Mailing bags work optimal when the film grade matches the job, not when the thickest option is chosen by habit. A well-manufactured co-extruded polythene suppliers bag can take conveyour knocks, cage loading and the scrape of mixed loads without adding needless weight, while a poor specification wastes material and takes up more space than the contents deserve. Gauge, puncture resistance and tear control all need to sit in balance, because a bag that is also light opens the door to split seams, while one that is overbuilt slows packing and raises cube. The proper selection retains consignment weight down and still protects the products from despatch to door.

Square Bin Liners (Flat pack)

Heavy-duty bin liners for swing bins are chosen for how they cope with rough treatment, not for how clever they see. A superb liner requirements enough puncture resistance to survive broken packaging, food waste, and sharp pollution without splitting at the side seam or necking around the collar. If the film gauge and polymer mix are well controlled, the bag opens properly, stretches evenly, and stays in position as the lid drops on it through the shift. That cuts down on torn liners, double-bagging, and messy bin changeovers, which saves time on the floor and retains cleaning staff moving.

Carrier bags - take your pick

Carrier bags come in a variety of shapes and sizes, with a bag available to suit any retailer. Here are some of the most popular styles of carrier bags used today:

Vest - The best known carrier bag in the UK and beyond, traditionally used by supermarkets, smaller food stores, general stores and market traders. Made from high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and available in a variety of colours, plain or printed, these bags are lightweight but strong. Handles are attached to each side of the bag make it look like a vest from the front, hence the name. Provided they are not over-filled, these bags are capable of handling regular shopping with ease.

Patch handle - A more glossy and sturdy carrier bag, commonly used by high street stores to impress their customers. Made from thicker polythene than vest carriers to provide extra strength, these rectangular bags have a handle punched out of the top, reinforced by an extra patch of polythene, which gives the bags its name. Available in clear or coloured polythene and the perfect bag on which to print a design or logo to advertise the retailer, hence the popularity with high street retailers.

Varigauge - Similar in appearance to its patch handle cousin, the varigauge carrier bag is rectangular in shape with a handle punched out. However, the clever use of a varied gauge - or thickness - of polythene, which is twice as thick at the top of the bag than it is at the bottom, means that the need to reinforce the handle with a patch is avoided. Available in a variety of colours, these strong bags with extra room thanks to a bottom gusset, are very popular with retailers keen to make a good impression with customers.

Clip close - These strong rectangular bags have an integral white clip attached right across the top of the bag that clip closes shut, giving the bag its name. Made from thick clear polythene with a side gusset, these bags allow retailers to display their products, whilst not compromising on bag strength or quality. The sturdy clip also allows you to hang up the bag - and contents - to really show it off.

Flexiloop - These luxury carriers take their name from the flexiloop handle that is attached - by heat-welding - to the inside of the bag on both sides. Popular with supermarkets who sell them as ‘Bags for life’ - encouraging customers to reuse the bag - flexiloop carriers are made from thicker polythene than regular carriers, which makes them more expensive to produce. Paper versions of the flexiloop carrier bag are popular with boutique shops or fancy high street retailers.

Duffle - A sturdy polythene bag featuring a cord threaded around the top opening and down the sides of the bag. Pull the cord to close the bag tight and loosen to open. Useful for carrying bulky or weighty items and handy to carry, so often used by sportspeople as a kit bag. Also popular with sports shoe retailers.

Drawstring - Less sturdy than the duffle bag, so not suitable for similarly bulky contents, but operate on a similar principle. Drawstring bags feature two strings looped around the opening of the bag, with the ends of the drawstring appearing through separate openings adjacent to each other. When pulled at the same time, the strings tighten together and the bag closes. Typically made from clear polythene, these bags are a popular way of displaying products in a shop.

Grip Seal - A cross between a carrier bag and a grip seal bag, these bags contain an integral grip seal that runs across the width of the bag just below the cut-out handle. Simply squeeze the grip seal between forefinger and thumb to seal the bag shut, providing protection from rain or other external contaminants, then gently pull apart to open and repeat as many times as you wish. With a clear polythene front, a handle for hanging and a glossy finish, these bags are a great way to display your products.

Show off your business with printed carriers

Printed carrier bags are an ideal way for businesses to advertise directly into their local community. Take a plain patch handle carrier and turn it from the smart, sturdy carrier bag it normally is into a walking advert for your business.

Businesses have to provide carrier bags to their customers anyway, so why not pay a little more for them and get something back from the carrier bags once they have left your shop.

By adding your company logo or design to one or both sides of your carrier bags, you not only make your business look more professional and more eye-catching, but you let your customers act as mobile advertisers, when they leave your store and walk around others in the area with your company branding there for all to see.

You can even add a slogan or advertising message to tell your potential customers exactly what they need to know about your store. All this, carried straight out into the heart of your target market and the hundreds or thousands of other potential customers out there.

Not only do printed carriers help attract new customers, but they also reinforce the message to existing customers that you are a professional, reliable and smart retailer. So next time they go to their cupboard or car boot and see your carrier bag, they see your bag, that initial good impression is reinforced and they move that step closer to being a return customer.

So why bother with plain carrier bags? Go one step further and design your own printed carriers, complete with your company branding, to take your business to the next level.

Where to buy carrier bags

Carrier bag manufacturers and suppliers include:

Carrier Bags
Discount Carrier Bags provides customers with an instant quote on a range of printed carrier bags. Get your very own design or logo printed on one or both sides of a quality thick carrier for as little as 4p a bag. Get a quote in 60 seconds, any time of day, 24/7!
www.discountcarrierbags.co.uk

Personalised Carrier Bags
With instant real-time quotes on personalised printed carrier bags, Discount Printed Carrier Bags is the place to go for bespoke carrier bags at terrific discount prices. Get your design printed on strong, smooth, high quality polythene bags in a range of sizes, from just 4p a bag and with free delivery in the UK.
www.discountprintedcarrierbags.co.uk

Printed Carrier Bags
The home of printed carrier bags online - offering high quality 55-micron thick carrier bags printed with your very own design. With a free instant quote, the lowest prices online - starting at just 4p a bag - and free UK delivery, this website is the place to go for printed carriers - the best way to advertise your business.
www.printedcarrierbags.com

Carrier Bag
If you need a carrier bag of any style, size or colour, then Carrier Bags is the website for you. They provide customers with a huge range of polythene carrier bags, from varigauge carriers to vest carriers and with a selection of biodegradable alternatives.
www.carrierbags.co

Buy Carrier Bags
A useful resource for anyone looking to buy carrier bags. Featuring lots of information of different types of carriers - including bespoke printed carrier bags - and where you can buy them, this website will definitely help you find the right carrier bag for you.
www.buy-carrier-bags.co.uk

Printed Carriers
Find out more about printed carrier bags and a range of other plastic carriers at this useful website, including details of each type of bag and the best place to buy discount printed carrier bags online.
www.discountprintedcarrierbags.com

Printed Bags
Printed Bags Direct offers customers information and details on where to buy a wide range of stock carrier bags and bespoke printed carrier bags, so you can find out everything you need in one handy website.
www.printedbagsdirect.co.uk

Carrier Bag Printing
An excellent resource on printed carrier bags and stock carrier bags, with detailed descriptions on a range of carrier bag categories.
www.printedcarrierbags2u.com

Coloured Carrier Bags
Coloured Bags Direct is a website dedicated to printed carrier bags. A division of industry-leading manufacturer Polybags, they offer customers colour printing on a range of polythene carrier bags.
www.colouredbagsdirect.co.uk

Patch Handle Carrier Bags
Are you looking for printed carrier bags, patch handle carrier bags or any other style from a wide range of plastic carriers? This website is the site you need to help you make that all-important decision and find the right carrier bag for you.
www.printedcarrierbagsdirect.co.uk

Coloured Plastic Bags
Coloured Bags offer colour printing of carrier bags to help you advertise your business. Get a free quotation on your own design printed carrier bags, or choose from a wide range of stock carriers.
www.colouredbags.com

Plastic Carrier Bags
This handy website offers a useful resource on plastic carriers and printed carrier bags, including details of the types of bags available - from clip close carriers to patch handle carriers - and where to buy them.
www.printedcarrierbagsdirect.com

Ten reasons why biodegradable is in the news

Report On Business Biodegradable bags: a load of waste?

Biodegradable bags need careful specification, because the word biodegradable tells only part of the story. A bag that smashs down fast in one controlled system may behave very differently in a warehouse, on a shopping floor, or in a roadside litter scenario. Moisture, heat, light and air flow all affect how the polymer behaves, so storage conditions matter only as much as the material itself. Gauging the film correctly assists avoid weak handles, split seals and poor pack performance. A bag that sees tidy on a datasheet nevertheless fails below normal handling soon creates waste and complaints.

Eco-friendly

Eco-friendly packing selections work optimal when they cut waste without creating handling problems later in the chain. A lighter gauge film, recycled board, or proper-sized carton can reduce material use, nevertheless only if the pack still survives stacking, sealing, and transport. Poorly specified packaging often leads to crushed corners, split seams, or additional stretch wrap on the pallet, which cancels out the savings. The practical aim is to use less material while keeping the consignment stable and tidy through warehousing and dispatch. That normally means matching the pack to the product rather than chasing the thinnest option on offer.

25 of the Most Environmentally Friendly Architecture Firms

A in reality environmentally friendly packaging selection has to work in the proper world, not only see superb on paper. The optimal materials are the ones that keep safe the product, fit the packing line properly and still leave a sensible route into recycling or reuse. That means thinking about gauge, board grade, pallet wrap and secondary packing together, because a weak spec can create damage, wasted stock and more transport trips. A well-chosen material often cuts waste at origin, which is better than trying to sort out problems after dispatch. That come saves product, time and handling, and it retains the all operation more responsible.

Creatours of The Worlds First Plastic Free, Certified Biodegradable Glitter

Biodegradable claims only matter when the material smashs down in the proper conditions, and that is where freshwater certification gives a clearer picture than loose marketing language. A cosmetic glitter manufactured to biodegrade in normal water has a alternative design brief from normal plastic decoration: the particle structure, coating and raw material selection all have to assist breakdown without leaving a lasting plastic load. That also matters for stock control and client confidence, because a claim backed by separate testing is easier to specify, store and dispatch with less questions at the trade counter. A properly evidenced product reduces doubt and gives a cleaner route into packaging lines that are being pushed away from persistent microplastics.

Green biodegradable bags work properly only when the material matches the job, because an eco label alone does not stop failures on the line. The bag still has to open cleanly, seal securely and stand up to bagging, stacking and dispatch without splitting or scuffing through the outer layer. If the gauge is also light, tears and pinholes can appear amid machine handling or transport; if it is also heavy, additional film is used without adding proper protection. A sensible spec balances thickness, shelf life and load weight so the pack behaves well in production and in the warehouse.

Biodegradable bags only work properly when the film is robust enough for proper use, not only light enough to sound eco-friendly on a shelf label. Night walking puts additional strain on a bag because gloves, poor light and awkward ground make handling less proper, so thin film and weak seams often lead to split bags and unnecessary mess. A sensible specification pays attention to puncture resistance, seal quality and the method the material behaves once it has been folded into a small roll. That makes the bag more proper in the hand and less likely to fail at the point of use, which is the only moment that certainly matters.

Clear bags work optimal when the product requirements to be seen, and that matters a big deal with sweets, favours and small gift packs. A transparent bag makes colour, shape and quantity apparant at a glance, so the pack sells the contents before it is even opened. That visibility also assists in the warehouse and on the packing bench because staff can spot mix-ups, missing items and weak seals more easily than with opaque packs. For party and wedding use, the tidy see normally matters as much as the contents. When the bag is kept clean and the seal is tidy, the all pack feels more presentable.

Frequently Asked Questions about WholeSale Carrier Bags

Carrier bags only perform properly when the material and gauge match the job. A light polythene suppliers bag can transport small shopping items without trouble, nevertheless if the film is uneven the disadvantage shows fast in stretched handles, split seams, and gussets that collapse below load. The issue is not only strength on paper; film tension, seal quality, and converting control determine whether a bag lands flat and tidy or arrives with weak spots built in. Good print also matters because poor ink stickiness makes the bag see cost-effective before it even leaves the counter. A sound specification gives durability without wasting material, which retains complaints and handling damage down.

First online retailer to use mailing bags manufactured entirely from sugarcane

Mailing bags manufactured from sugarcane-based polythene suppliers work because they retain the same handling behaviour as normal polyolefin film while changing the feedstock behind it. That matters on fast packing lines, where gauge consistency, seal quality and film slip affect how fast orders can be closed and sent on. If the resin is well controlled, the bag should travel through autobagging kit, heat seal cleanly and resist the kind of split that causes secondary packing and rework. The practical earn is not a fantasy of composting, nevertheless a lower fossil content and a route that can still fit normal recycling systems where uniform assortment exists.

Bin liners create warehouse problems because they are light in the hand nevertheless awkward in bulk, so poor pallet build can cause more damage than the product itself. A reel or folded pack requirements stable stacking, sensible secondary packing and enough restraint in transit to stop corners crushing the outer cartons. The material selection matters also: low-density and high-density polythene suppliers are often blended to balance puncture resistance, stretch and cost, while the gauge has to stay even enough to avoid pinholes and weak spots. If the film is also thin, stock loss rises; if it is also heavy, the tare weight eats into efficiency. Good handling and tight specification retain the line moving and reduce avoidable write-offs.

Research & Resources

For more information on carrier bags, the wide range of polythene and biodegradable carriers available, their many uses and how to recycle them, please visit:

Goldstork: A free online 'best-of-the-web' directory listing specially selected information on a wide range of plain and printed carrier bags.

PackagingKnowledge: The UK's premier polythene packaging knowledge website, containing loads of useful information and in-depth articles on carrier bags, as read by those in the industry.

PlasticBags.uk.com: List products for free as a manufacturer or, if you're shopper, simply browse a massive selection of carrier bags websites on this unrivalled polythene packaging directory.

Single-use carriers? No such thing!

The carrier bag is often portrayed in the media as the single biggest cause of pollution and litter on the planet.

Most commonly, the high density polythene (HDPE) carrier bag used by supermarkets is singled out as the biggest culprit. These bags, which are subject to a government levy in many countries - meaning customer have to pay a few pence or cents for each bag they use - are often referred to as “single-use carriers”, which is a term that is not only misleading but also irresponsible.

Carrier bags should be reused as often as possible and by calling them “single-use carriers” - including in newspaper articles widely criticising the use of such bags - the implication is there that the bags should be thrown away.

This is giving entirely the wrong message to customers and does not represent the facts. 82% of UK households reuse over half of all carrier bags they use, with 59% reusing all of them (Waste Resources Action Programme report, 2005).

There are so many things you can do with a carrier bag once you’ve used it to carry your shopping home. The most obvious is to take it back to the shop and use it again for its original purpose - to carry shopping! But you can also use carrier bags for wrapping your packed lunch, or as a portable laundry bag when you go on holiday, or wrapping shoes in a suitcase to keep your clothes clean. There are loads of things you can use it for if you put your mind to it, so use your carriers again and again.

Even when your carrier has seen better days and you’re ready to throw it out, you can give it one final hurrah and use it as a rubbish bag before throwing it in the bin. There’s no such thing as a single use carrier bag - at least there shouldn’t be!