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

What the internet says about waste bags

All you need to know about the biodegradable bin liners

Biodegradable bin liners need the proper film specification for the waste stream, because disadvantage only shows itself once the bag is being filled and moved. A liner meant for food waste has to cope with moisture, condensation and rough handling before it reaches assortment, so low wet strength quickly leads to split seams, drips and dirty bins. If the gauge is also light, the liner fails early; if it is also stiff or thick, it becomes awkward to store and slower to fit in a caddy or wheelie bin. Matching the material to the task retains floors cleaner and reduces avoidable mess.

Free rubble bags

Rubble bags work optimal when they are treated as a proper site-handling asset rather than a bit of leftover packaging. Strong used cement and sand sacks can take light demolition waste, separate small fragments amid a strip-out, and retain loose material contained while a clearance job is moving along. A reserve of roughly sixty bags normally gives enough capacity for a decent tidy-up without constant trips back for more sacks, which assists retain the work flowing. The key is to sort the sound bags from the damaged ones and retain the weaker examples out of service. That simple check saves mess and reduces the chance of waste spilling when the load beginnings to bite into the material.

Garden waste sacks

A waste sack has to be matched to the job in hand, or it will fail the moment damp cuttings and thorny brash beginning loading it up. Thin film may see tidy on the roll, nevertheless once it is dragged above grit or lifted by a handle, splits and tears appear fast. A stronger gauge or tougher woven build gives better resistance to abrasion and weight, while still allowing the sack to be filled and tied without a fight. That balance matters because a clean lift retains the assortment moving and avoids loose waste being scattered along the kerb.

7L Compostable Organic Rubbish Bags - 20 pack

Rubbish bags for small kitchen caddies need the proper balance of fit, strength and flexibility, because a liner that is also loose slips into the pail while one that is also tight is awkward to load. A 7 litre compostable bag should sit neatly around the rim, grasp wet peelings without stressing the seam, and stay intact through daily emptying and tying. Gauge matters here: if the film is also thin, leaks and tears follow quickly, nevertheless if it is also stiff the bag fights the caddy and slows the job down. A well-matched bag retains kitchen waste tidy and makes routine caddy use far less troublesome.

House Proud Extra Large Refuse Sacks 16pk

Extra-big waste sacks need enough film strength to survive proper site handling, not only a tidy test on a machine. The main fault line is normally the balance between gauge and polymer blend: also light and the sack splits at the seam or around a sharp carton corner, also heavy and all roll carries needless weight and cost through storage and dispatch. A superb spec also gives proper opening and decent slip, so stock can be picked quickly without bags clinging together or sliding badly on the pallet. When those details are proper, waste transports cleanly from bin to assortment point and does not turn into a tidy-up job halfway through sorting.

Front End Lift Bin Liners

Front-stop lift bin liners need to match the waste stream, not only the bin size, because dry sawdust and heavy food waste fail in alternative methods. A liner that is also flimsy will split on splinters, compacted offcuts or a sharp tray edge, while one that is above-gauged adds dead weight and wastes film. Good high-density polythene suppliers gives the proper balance of puncture resistance and load capacity, and the surface stop matters as well, since dry fines can cling through static and make emptying untidy. When a liner slides cleanly and seals properly, the bin empties faster and leaves less residue behind, which retains handling time down and reduces damage to the shell.

Pembrokeshire County Council remove 80 bin bags fly-tipped in Haverfordwest

A bin bag that splits also easily creates above a mess, because weak film and poor seal quality turn a simple waste item into a handling problem from the moment it is packed. When gauge control wanders amid extrusion, thin spots and soft gussets make the sack far more likely to tear amid lifting, dragging or overfilling, particularly where sharp corners or damp waste are involved. That pushes crews into utilising double bags or overfilling less sacks, which wastes material and slows the job. A better spec gives steadier strength, cleaner closure and less secondary packing at origin, so the all waste stream stays tidier and easier to manage.

Black sacks for litter assortment need proper puncture resistance, because glass bottles, can rims and broken film loads attack the bag in specific spots rather than spreading the strain evenly. A sack that sees fine at the select-face can split later when sharp edges press into one small area, so gauge control and film blend matter above a thin-sounding specification on paper. High-density polythene suppliers with proper melt flow normally gives better sealing and tougher performance than a weak downgauged film. That makes the sack more proper on the round and less likely to fail halfway to the compactor.

Disposable Waste Bags (Pack of 40)

Disposable waste bags make drum emptying far cleaner by trapping dust and loose debris before it reaches the container. A tough bag lining also saves time at the stop of a clean-down because the all load can be lifted out in one part instead of being scraped from the sides. That matters on dusty sites, where fine material tends to cling to corners and settle back into the drum amid handling. The proper bag requirements enough strength to grasp the load without tearing, particularly when sharp offcuts or heavy muck are mixed in. Used properly, this simple liner reduces mess, shortens the disposal routine, and retains the main unit prepared for the next job.

cost-effective black sacks

Cheap black sacks only save money when the gauge suits the waste and the method the bag is used. A light sack can cope with office paper and soft waste, nevertheless it soon gives up if it has to take broken board, damp waste, or mixed material that acquires hauled across a rough floor or hooked on a sharp bin rim. Once the handles tear or the side seam splits, labour goes up and the floor becomes untidy as well as dangerous. Recycled content can still perform well if the blend retains enough toughness in storage. A sack that survives normal handling is better value than one that sees cost-effective on the order and costly on the shift.

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

Common views on waste bags

Biodegradable Bin Liners x 25 Bags Per Roll (30L) - 15 Micron

Biodegradable bin liners only work properly when the film has enough body to cope with damp scraps, sharp edges and rough lifting. A liner that feels acceptable on paper can split as soon as wet peelings, carton corners or normal kitchen waste beginning pushing on the bottom seam and gusset. Consistent gauge and a sound resin blend matter because thin spots, weak seals and poor puncture resistance quickly turn a green-sounding product into a nuisance. When the bag survives the first pickup cleanly, the waste stream stays tidier and the job transports on without additional cleanup.

Rubble bags need to be chosen for abuse, not for appearance, because broken brick, plaster and timber offcuts will quickly come by any disadvantage in the film or stitching. A bag with the gross gauge can tear when it is dragged above rough ground, lifted awkwardly or packed with sharp debris that cuts into the wall of the sack. Seam strength matters only as much as overall thickness, since a clean-looking bag is pointless if it bursts at the base amid handling. The better selection retains waste contained from the point of fill through to loading, and that reduces mess, delay and additional labour on site.

Waste sacks are easier to manage when supply is packed in a method that suits normal storage and issue points. A ten-bag pack is simple for a cupboard, stock room or garden shed, and it reduces the mess that comes from loose sacks being split across also plenty places. For a retailer or local stock point, that also means cleaner counting and less time spent checking whether the proper quantity has gone out. When waste sacks are bundled neatly, the product is less likely to be damaged or misplaced before use, which retains the all stock flow tidy and predictable.

Rubbish bags need to be matched to the type of waste, not only the size of the load. A light bag may see fine on the roll, nevertheless once broken packaging, food scraps and jagged oddments proceed in, the film can stretch, the seam can open and the all lift becomes awkward. A stronger gauge gives more resistance to puncture, while a sound seal assists the bag grasp together when it is dragged, tied or hoisted into a bin. Fill level matters as well, because an overpacked bag puts stress on the mouth first. Picking the proper bag reduces split sacks, faster clean-up and less time spent chasing loose waste.

Refuse Sacks (20pc)

A superb waste sack is judged less by the number on the pack and more by how reliably it survives proper waste handling. The film has to be thin enough to retain the roll compact and the carton easy to store, nevertheless consistent enough to resist splitting where the base seal and top edge are stretched. If the gauge wanders, one batch feels robust in the hand while the next tears also easily when wet waste settles or sharp waste shifts. That kind of tolerance causes complaints, additional repacking and avoidable damage in transit. Keeping the polythene suppliers blend well controlled gives a far better balance between weight, strength and warehouse efficiency.

Bin liners only work properly when the gauge and resin selection match the waste they are meant to grasp. A thin liner may see tidy on paper, nevertheless if the film lacks puncture resistance it will split on broken strapping, sharp board edges or awkward offcuts, and that quickly leads to double-bagging and a mess at the point of use. Too much excess film is not harmless either, because loose skirts grasp on bin lids, slow down emptying and waste space inside the container. A well-sized liner with a consistent seal gives cleaner handling, less blow-outs and less wasted labour on the shop floor.

Residents pack 12 bin bags full of waste after travellers finally leave Thorpe Park field

Bin bags only work well when the film is matched to the waste, because a loose sack that survives dry office waste may fail fast once it meets wet paper, broken plastic or sharp metal offcuts. Gauge, puncture resistance and stretch all matter, since a weak bag tears amid lifting and creates additional clean-up, double handling and pollution on the floor. Better specifications balance strength with enough slip for easy opening and proper stacking of rolls in store. That saves time in dispatch and reduces damage amid assortment or transport, which is why a cost-effective-looking sack can stop up costing more in labour and mess.

Black sacks stay in normal use because they handle awkward waste transports better than plenty rigid containers, particularly where bin stores are small and mixed waste has to be gathered quickly. Their low folded volume makes storage simple, and the light tare weight assists porters and facilities teams transport big consignment counts without wasting effort on empty packaging. The film has to be chosen with care, though, because a uniform gauge and proper extrusion are what retain punctures and splits below control when sacks are overfilled or dragged across rough floors. A well-manufactured sack saves handling time and reduces leakage, which is often what matters most on a busy site.

Pet Supplies > Pet Care > Waste Bags');">BioBag Dog Waste Bags - 50 Count

Dog waste bags manufactured from plant-based feedstock can reduce the environmental burden of a routine job without changing the method the job is done. The material selection matters because agricultural inputs and vegetable oils can transport a lower carbon footprint than normal fossil-based plastics, while still giving enough strength for messy, unpredictable loads. That balance is what matters on the shop floor and in the waste stream: a bag still has to open easily, grasp together, and cope with handling without splitting. A sensible specification also assists with public-facing assortment points and household use, where convenience drives compliance. When the material performs properly, lower-impact packaging becomes part of daily behaviour rather than a separate effort.

Cheap black sacks only save money when the gauge suits the waste being put through them. Light, dry waste is one thing, nevertheless mixed warehouse waste can be far tougher because board offcuts, shredded strapping, pallet wrap and jagged plastic all bite into the film as soon as the sack is lifted or dragged. If the gauge is also thin, the sack beginnings to fail at the handles or along the weld, and the result is spillages, additional cleaning and more time wasted on re-bagging. A sensible specification reduces handling damage and stops a cost-effective purchase from turning into a false economy.

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!