MEET THE NEW 2-IN-1 HYBRID SHOPPING BAG
We’ve all been there: You get to the supermarket checkout with a trolley full of goods only to realise that the reusable bags you intended to use are still at home. It’s frustrating, especially when you end up paying for yet further carrier bags, adding to the ever-growing collection in the kitchen cupboard. They are no use just stashed away. Or are they?
A new multi-purpose reusable carrier bag that can be turned into a much larger bin liner or recycling sack has now been developed. The invention could help to reduce plastic film use and save shoppers precious pennies in light of the new charges on single use plastic bags. The novel 2-in-1 hybrid bags cleverly combine existing everyday consumables in order to extend the life-cycle of two of the most short-lived plastic products on the planet: the plastic carrier and the bin liner.
Bag Re:Born inventor, Richard Simmonite, said: “Single use carrier bags are an environmental disaster, but reusable carriers need to be used a lot of times (in some cases as much as 327 times) to be any better. Research has found that people typically use their single use carrier bags as bin liners, so it made sense to create a product that would do both things while reducing the environmentalimpact of bags.”
This clever twist on the conventional carrier bag design couldn’t have come at a better time as shoppers are flung into a new era of bag charges and disruption. The 5p plastic bag charge came into effect on October 5th 2015.
“Carrier bags might not seem to be the sexiest area for innovation, but they are part of a major environmental problem and innovation in this field can be part of an incredible environmental solution.” Explains Simmonite, who identified functionality and user-behaviour as key areas for product improvement.
Research published by WRAP shows that the introduction of a carrier bag charge in Wales has led to a dramatic reduction in single use plastic bags, however it has also triggered an increase in the use of reusable bags and bin liners. Simmonite points out that a lot of people using reusable carrier bags also buy bin liners, so a multi-functional and reusable product is desirable to many consumers.
According to Defra, shoppers in England will pay out more than £110 million a year in single use bag charges, this even after an expected 70% fall of their usage.
Bag Re:Born will launch in stores from the New Year following a successful retail pilot in Brighton. “We’ve had growing interest from many leading retailers who want to offer their customers better services and a point of difference both on the high-street and for their online delivery services.” Explained Simmonite.
Bag Re:Born Ltd
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