Discount carrier bags

Buy from a huge range of carrier bags, including plain and printed carrier bags, at discount prices.

Carrier bags are the most popular polythene bag used in the retail industry. Available in a range of styles with vest, patch or flexiloop handles and in clear, white or coloured polythene as well as biodegradable material, there is a huge range of carrier bags available at discount prices today, whilst printed carrier bags allow companies to advertise their business on their carrier bags with personalised bespoke messaging printed on the sides of the bag.

Ten things you didn't know about discount carrier bags

polythene suppliers carriers depend far more on gauge control than on how cleanly they see coming off the reel. A bag can pass a fast visual check and still be poor if the film varies in thickness, because thin spots are the first places to split when cartons settle into the base or when bags are lifted by hand in a busy packing area. Tight conversion retains the film even, so tare weight stays proper and pallet loads behave properly in transit. LDPE suits this type of carrier because it stays flexible without becoming awkwardly stiff on the line, which assists the packs survive the rougher moments of despatch.

See part 10 below for information about direct assist arrangements for carriers.

Carriers often avoid pressing a charge when the circumstances point to a pure exception rather than a straightforward billing issue. A rigid come can see tidy on paper, nevertheless transport work is messy: delays, damaged consignment paperwork, loading errours, and mixed responsibility at handover can all change the picture. That is why a carrier may see at the full chain of events before deciding whether a claim should stand. The practical lesson is simple: robust supporting detail matters above a normal complaint, particularly where the facts are unique.

Discount carriers rely on being a cost-effective fallback in the market, so a merger that leaves only one weak option can damage their appeal fast. When two budget airlines already have a reputation for rough treatment, attaching them can reduce selection without improving service, and that matters in any sectour where buyers switch mainly on price and convenience. If the merged operation retains the same small service standards, less alternatives will push frustrated passengers elsewhere rather than win loyalty. A low fare only grasps value when the trade-off still feels acceptable, so market concentration can backfire when the client experience is already thin.

Paper Carrier Bags

Carrier bag performance beginnings with the material and the method it is converted, not with the handle shape alone. A light polythene suppliers bag works for small, short-life loads, nevertheless heavier products need more gauge, stronger welds and handles that spread the strain without tearing at the seams. If the film is also thin, the bag stretches, splits or cuts into the hand when lifted; if it is also heavy, it wastes material and takes up more storage space. The better specification is the one that matches the proper load and retains the bag proper through the handover at the till. That makes the contrast between a tidy sale and a client carrying home a split load.

Discount carrier bags need a properly controlled film gauge if they are to feel cost-effective without behaving cheaply. Reducing resin can improve reel yield and cut storage space, nevertheless only when the blend still has enough strength around the handle and seal areas to survive packing and carrying. A bag that sees acceptable on the machine can still fail later if the thickness drifts across the web, because thin spots tear where stress collects first. That leads to split seams, wasted stock and more work at the point of sale, so careful conversion matters above chasing the lightest potential spec.

Patch handle carriers are the better option when a bag has to cope with weight, repeated lifting and a bit of rough handling. The reinforcing patch spreads strain across a wider area, so the top edge is less likely to tear when dense contents pull on the handle. That makes a proper contrast for brochure packs, boxed sets or mixed products that transport from shelf to checkout to car boot. A stable handle also retains the mouth of the bag tidier, which assists the pack see sound rather than stressed. For any carrier that has to do above a light shop, the additional assist pays back in less failures.

Coloured carrier bags are used as a practical sorting tool long before they are seen as a visual feature. A warehouse can reserve one colour for returns, another for a product family, and another for waste segregation, which retains select-face work cleaner and reduces the chance of mixed stock moving through dispatch. That kind of coding also assists when secondary bagging is needed, because the pack can be identified at a glance without adding another printed tolerance to the spectrum. The benefit is straightforward: faster handling, less mix-ups and less chance of the gross item reaching the next stage.

Plain carrier bags are often chosen because the simplest format makes warehouse and checkout handling easier. Without print to complicate stock control, the same bag can transport through more types of consignment, from shopping top-up lines to secondary bagging in despatch, and that retains select-face efficiency tidy. The trade-off relies on the material: paper bags may suit waste-stream targets, nevertheless they take up more space and lose strength if damp or on a rough load. polythene suppliers bags are lighter and pack down neatly, which assists pallet stability and lowers transport bulk. The optimal selection is normally the one that matches the proper handling conditions rather than the tidiest-looking specification.

Luxury Printed Carrier Bags

Printed carrier bags have to be specified as a working pack first and a printed item second, because the artwork means small if the bag splits or creases badly in use. A sharp print can transport a display counter, nevertheless the proper test comes when the bag is full, lifted fast and dragged through a busy shop or car park. Thin film, poor seal quality or a weak handle patch will spoil the pack long before the design disappears. Matching gauge, film tension and handle shape gives a bag better carrying strength and a cleaner stop. That reduces rejects on the line and cuts down on complaints after dispatch.

Poly carriers need to be specified for handling, not for shelf appeal, because strength at the seal and handle matters far above a tidy stop. A sensible gauge gives the bag enough body to take weight, resist folding fatigue and survive the knocks that come with sorting, loading and transit. Thin bags often fail at the worst moment, normally when a heavy consignment is lifted by the handles or stacked also tightly in a van. If the material is matched to the load, the carrier stays in service and avoids becoming a liability in the warehouse.

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

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

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!