Carrier bags

Buy best value carrier bags, from crinkly vest carriers to thick printed carriers, for all your retail needs.

Carrier bags are the essential shopping accessory, used by people all over the world to transport goods away from stores and shops to their homes. Made from lightweight yet strong polythene, carrier bags provide a comfortable method of carrying shopping, with a range of bag and handle styles - such as vest, patch handle, flexiloop and premium - tailored to fit into the human hand for an ergonomic carrying experience. Made from varying thicknesses of polythene and in a range of sizes from mini carriers to jumbo carriers, whatever you are shopping for, there is a carrier bag for you!

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

What people in the street might say about carrier bags

Printed carriers need to be engineered for load before the artwork is ever considered, because a clever-looking bag is no use if it digs into the hand or twists below weight. The cut, strap position and seam placement all affect how the carrier spreads force when it is filled, and a poor layout soon shows up as warped sides and awkward handling. Even a robust print can only distract for so long if the bag sags or bites at the handles. Good specification retains the visual side and the practical side working together, so the carrier feels tidy and proper in use.

Personalised carrier bags work optimal when the print job is treated as part of the packaging spec, not as decoration added at the stop. Bag strength, handle reinforcement and film gauge all affect whether the bag survives loading, stacking and carrying without tearing at the seal or stretching out of shape. A heavy print design may see tidy, nevertheless additional ink and thicker film can add weight, reduce pallet counts and make storage less efficient across a consignment. The better come is a balanced polythene suppliers structure that carries the artwork cleanly while still behaving like a practical shop bag. That normally gives better handling and less failures at the point of use.

Poly carriers keep safe small retail products optimal when the film is light nevertheless still tough enough to resist handling damage. That balance matters with jewellery and similar stock, where the bag is doing above keeping items together: it also slows the effects of damp air and airborne sulphur that can dull surfaces before sale. A proper gauge assists because thin patches are often where splits start amid picking, stacking, or movement through the warehouse. If the material is inconsistent, the pack may see fine on the line and fail later. A sound bag retains the product presentable without loading the carton with additional plastic.

polythene suppliers carriers with a full carton insert grasp their shape far better than plain film bags, and that makes a practical contrast on shop floors and in transit. The board assists the side walls and retains the base from spreading, so heavier contents do not drag the corners in or twist the seal line out of line. Packs stay square, which matters when retail products need to see tidy as well as survive being lifted, stacked and mixed with other products. A carrier that retains its shape also gives more consistent handling through the supply chain.

Carriers need a transparent waiver policy because missing documents at arrival can otherwise slow the all receiving process. When the rules are spelled out in an appendix and understood by senior staff, decisions can be manufactured quickly without holding up a consignment at the gate or creating arguments on the warehouse floor. That matters in packaging and logistics, where delay can disrupt unloading slots, storage space, and onward dispatch. A sensible method also assists staff judge whether the problem is a pure administrative slip or a case needing a charge. Clear guidance retains handling smooth and reduces the chance of a small paperwork issue turning into a larger operational grasp-up.

Carrier Bags

Carrier bags work optimal when the material matches the load and the route it has to travel. A light film bag can be fine for a few small items, nevertheless if the gauge is also low it will stretch, split, or lose its shape before the client even leaves the shop. Go also heavy and the bag becomes fat, takes up more room in storage, and wastes material on a job that does not need it. Good production control matters here, because clean seals and proper gauge retain rejects down and avoid weak spots that fail below handling damage.

Research Carrier Bag Shop Alternatives

Fetpak has one transparent advantage above Carrier Bag Shop when the job is judged on trade reliability rather than only headline offer. A packaging wholesaler lives or dies by how well it retains stock moving, retains lines provided and retains substitutions to a minimum when a fast-moving order lands in the warehouse. That matters with carrier bags, where gauge, handle style and carton counts all affect picking accuracy and dispatch speed. If one supplier gives tighter control above stock and more consistent supply, it saves time at the products-in desk and reduces the risk of short despatches. That kind of backroom consistency is often worth above a slightly lower price on paper.

Use Printed Carrier Bags to Promote Your Products

Printed carrier bags need the proper gauge and substrate first, because tidy artwork counts for small if the bag fails in use. A thin polythene suppliers bag may see sharp off the press, yet it can split at the handle, crease in the pack, or lose its seal quality once bags are stacked, filled and moved through the warehouse. A stronger film structure or a better paper grade gives better burst resistance and retains the bag presentable after handling. That means the print still works after loading, transport and rehandling, which is where plenty cost-effective bags drop apart.

Reducing single-use plastic in the warehouse beginnings with what acquires reused before anything new is ordered. Sending out products in the same packaging that arrived, after checking it is still sound, saves material and cuts waste without adding additional handling. A degradable carrier bag can assist in the short term, nevertheless its proper value relies on whether it copes with daily use, carries the proper load, and does not split at the handle or seam. If a bag fails on the shop floor or in dispatch, the greener label does not matter much. The optimal selection is the one that balances waste reduction with proper handling performance.

Yellow carrier bags stand out in a crowded retail environment because the colour gives them high visibility even when the shop floor is busy and the pavement outside is packed. That brightness can be useful for security and for staff trying to spot bags at a distance, nevertheless the proper issue is whether the bag is robust enough for the load it carries. If the handle cut is weak or the gauge is also light, the bag becomes awkward to transport and more likely to split once the shopping is heavy. A well-manufactured carrier bag should be easy to grasp, grasp its shape reasonably well, and keep safe the contents until the client acquires home.

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

What people are sharing about carrier bags

Printed carriers only perform properly when the film, print and converting line are controlled as one job, not treated as separate stages. A sharp design means small if the gauge varies across the reel or the web tension wanders amid production, because the result can be weak handles, poor opening and scuffed ink that makes the pack see tired before it reaches the shelf. Operatours also have to manage static and slip, since tightly stuck stacks slow down packing while above-slippery bundles shift in transit and upset dispatch. A stable line gives a carrier that runs cleanly, packs well and survives normal handling without losing its message.

Are Personalised Carrier Bags a part of Our Lives?

Personalised carrier bags work optimal when the print, material and size are chosen with the job in mind rather than the artwork alone. A children's party bag, for instance, requirements enough strength for sweets, small toys and strange-shaped filler items, nevertheless it also has to dash cleanly on press so names stay sharp and repeated sets remain consistent. Gauge selection matters because a film that is also light can split at the handle, while one that is also heavy wastes material and takes up more room in cartons. A well-specified mono-material bag is easier to sort after use and less fussy in warehouse handling, so the proper build saves trouble at packing stage and later in the waste stream.

Poly Carriers

Poly carriers only work properly when the film gauge is held proper from reel to reel and the seals are manufactured cleanly enough to survive normal warehouse handling. Light polythene suppliers retains secondary packing compact, stacks neatly and transports well through select-face stock, which makes it easier to build mixed consignments without adding unnecessary bulk. The trouble beginnings when the material is also soft or the machine drifts out of setting, because thin bags can stretch, scuff and split before they ever reach dispatch. A consistent carrier grade gives far less trouble on the line and in the store.

polythene suppliers carriers rely on consistent material control if the finished reel is to see and perform properly. When the resin blend and colour concentrate are mixed poorly, the shade can wander across the film and leave bags looking blotchy once they are packed and handled in the warehouse. That sort of tolerance is not only cosmetic, because weak or thin sections also behave differently below tension and can seal less reliably. Tight control of melt conditions and draw-down retains the film even, so the carrier bag reaches dispatch without causing avoidable complaints or rework.

Carriers streaming: where to see online?

Carriers for films and media cases rely on the route to client as much as on the case itself, because all additional handoff raises the risk of scuffs, crush, or misplaced stock. When a title is on offer through streaming, download, purchase, and rental channels at once, the supply chain has to retain alternative product states separate and well labelled so the gross version does not stop up in the gross fulfilment stream. That means tighter stock control, cleaner select-face efficiency, and less confusion at dispatch. A tidy system saves time on the warehouse floor and retains client claims down.

East Africa: EAC Partner States Directed to Enforce Laws Banning Plastic Carrier Bags

A ban on single-use carrier bags only works when the replacement bag suits the checkout as well as the journey home. Thin polythene suppliers may have been cost-effective and fast to hand above, nevertheless once that option disappears the retailer has to think about how fast bags can be issued, how much space they take behind the till, and whether they keep safe contents from splitting or damp. Paper bags can feel neater nevertheless need careful handling in wet weather, while woven and heavier reusable bags take up more room and can slow the taking of products at the point of sale. The optimal selection is the one that retains the handover smooth without creating more damage claims.

London based packaging supplier Carrier Bag Shop are working with factories and suppliers in United Kingdom and the Sub Continent to develop a new spectrum of Eco-friendly, Cotton, Jute, and Organza Bags.

A carrier bag shop that adds jute bags to its spectrum is reaching for a material that behaves very differently from thin plastic or paper. Jute has a gross, normal feel that clients often read as sturdier and more reusable, nevertheless it also requirements sensible handling at the converting stage. Stitching, gusset formation and handle attachment all have to stand up to proper loads, not only see tidy on a display rack. If the weave is inconsistent or the stitching line is weak, the bag can fail early and damage confidence in the product. A well-manufactured jute line gives the shop a stronger offering, particularly where presentation and carrying strength both matter.

Our First-Class Service To Supply You Bespoke Printed Carrier Bags

Printed carrier bags need to be specified for handling, not only for appearance, because the print means small if the bag tears amid picking or transport. A tidy emblem can conceal weak film for only a short while, and problems soon display up when bags are stacked in cartons, pulled from a select-face, or loaded into mixed consignments. Gauge consistency matters here, since thin spots in the film lead to split handles and scuffing that ruins the stop. A sensible material selection gives the bag enough body to transport weight and still see presentable after repeated movement. That balance is what turns a printed carrier bag into working packaging rather than temporary decoration.

A degradable carrier bag in vest format works well when the job requirements a familiar shape, decent load spread and plain handling at the checkout. White high density polythene suppliers gives the bag enough stiffness to open easily, while the printed degradable additive is meant to assist the material smash down below the proper conditions after use. That makes it a practical selection for grocery and normal retail counter service, where bags need to take mixed contents without feeling flimsy. The big size assists with bulkier items, and the pack count suits proper high-volume issue. For daily retail work, the balance between strength, convenience and disposal route matters above any label on the front.

Yellow carrier bags are often chosen for their visibility and easy recognition, nevertheless that same familiarity can make them useful for concealment in plain sight. A bag that sees normal at a glance is less likely to be questioned in a busy retail or warehouse setting, particularly when it is being carried out with other shopping or fat flat-pack products. That is why bag design, print, colour and reuse patterns all matter in loss prevention as well as in normal retail operations. Ordinary-looking carrier bags can become part of a smuggling method simply because they blend into daily handling, which makes appearance a proper security factor.

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!