Anyone following the environmental news will have heard enough about plastic carrier bag taxes, charges, and bans to last a lifetime. A pressing environmental issue and one that certainly shouldn’t be ignored, our excessive use of plastic carrier bags needs to be highlighted, but unless both retailers and consumers agree on suitable alternatives, the ‘issue’ is not going to go away anytime soon.
Reusing plastic carrier bags is an option many consumers choose, but unless we are provided with strong high quality bags, the holes soon appear, the handles snap, and before we know it, our weekly shop is rolling down the high street. If supermarket chains were to offer well-made, durable, biodegradable carrier bags that the customer can use over again, the 2p or 5p charge might not seem so controversial after all.
Paper carrier bags are taking the fashion world by storm, with many high street retailers returning to the trusty brown paper bag. Smart, modern, and practical, these carrier bags are both reusable and recyclable, and providing they do not get wet, they will last for several weeks, if not months. If retailers opt for a modern, eye-catching design, it may just encourage teenagers to recycle their bags, and make the younger generation more aware of the environmental issues they face.
Then we come to the cotton carrier bag. Undoubtedly the strongest, most durable, and practical bag of them all, the cotton carrier bag will last several years with the minimum amount of maintenance, and they are both natural and biodegradable. However, cotton carrier bags cost more to produce, more to purchase, and take a lot of energy to manufacture and transport. If supermarkets and retailers offer cotton carrier bags at a reduced cost, the consumer will inevitably opt for this type of bag over any other, keeping the brand in the public eye for longer, and reducing the need for ‘single use’ bags.
Each type of carrier bag has a list of pros and cons, but if we do our best to reuse and recycle, we can help reduce the amount of headlines they make in the environmental news.
If you would like any more information on any of our range of carrier bags or want to speak with one of our sales team please call 01234 675101 or fill in the contact form at the top of this page.
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