Figures published recently by Wrap, have shown that in the last four years, the use of one time plastic bags has reduced by 44%. Many leading UK retailers took part in the survey, including Asda, the Co-Op, Sainsburys and Tesco. These supermarkets were all part of the British Retail Consortium’s ‘voluntary scheme’ – an ongoing campaign to reduce the volume of carrier bags handed out at the check outs in shops.
The data represents figures accumulated since 2006 and takes into account the increase in goods sold by supermarkets during that time. Whilst this figure is being hailed an achievement by environmentalists, the supermarkets themselves have had to overcome many barriers to achieve these statistics. Public support for the campaign to reduce single use carrier bags was one issue faced by the shops and there was also the matter of advertising. Whilst carrier bags are primarily designed to carry shopping, they also, rather handily, act as an item of promotional merchandise for the retailer in question.
Stores began to offer their customers ‘Bags for life’, which were sturdier items of promotional merchandise that their customers could reuse time and again.
Left with little alternative, customers have had to purchase these ‘environmentally friendly’ promotional products and indeed remember to bring them with them! For those shoppers who preferred to stay away from plastic, the organic cotton shopping bag has become a popular choice.
Many organisations have seen the huge marketing potential offered by organic cotton shopping bags when used as standalone promotional products. As an item of promotional merchandise, the organic shopping bag offers clear space for logo and brand to be displayed. Once purchased, the diverse potential use of the bag means that customers will carry it around with them, providing the brand with significant exposure.
