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

Ten things you didn't know about plastic bags

6 Mil Poly Bags

Clear reclosable poly bags manufactured from 6 mil transparent tubing suit jobs where the contents need both protection and visibility. The thicker gauge gives more resistance to tears, pinholing and rough handling than a flimsy bag, so it stands up better in storage, packing lines and despatch crates. Clear tubing also assists staff check contents fast without opening all pack, which saves time at select-face and reduces mistakes. The reclosable feature makes them useful for parts, samples and returnable kits where seals need to be opened and closed again. That combination of strength, clarity and ease of handling makes them a practical selection for controlled packing work.

polythene suppliers bags manufacturing machines price

The price of polythene suppliers bag manufacturing machines depends far more on output requirements than on the machine frame alone. A basic unit for light-duty shopping bags will cost less than a faster line built for thicker gauges, better seal control, and stable cutting below long runs. Converters also have to think about power use, maintenance access, spare parts, and how often the machine will be changed above for alternative bag sizes. A low purchase price can conceal higher misuse, slower packing, and more stoppages at the converting stage. A sensible buying decision beginnings with the saleable bag count a line can transport, not the lowest figure on the quote.

Are plastic bags getting a inferior rap?

Plastic bags still need careful handling, because the bag itself is only part of the job; gauge, seal quality and storage conditions all affect whether it performs properly on the line and in use. Thin polythene suppliers can save material and bulk, nevertheless if the film tension is poor or the seal is inconsistent, bags split, welds fail and complaints follow fast. In the warehouse, loose-packed bags are awkward to count, easy to damage and often create select-face clutter. Sound specification and superb control at packing stage reduce waste, keep safe stock rotation and retain dispatch units tidy enough to transport without trouble.

Small plastic bags are often used for strange, low-volume storage, nevertheless they can also conceal weak points in handling, sealing and waste control. In a packing setting, a small bag may be fine for keeping small loose items together, yet it can split if the gauge is also light, the seal is poor, or the contents have sharp edges. In warehouse work, those bags are easy to lose, crush or trap inside larger consignment packs, so stock control becomes messy fast. If the job only requirements short-term containment, the bag should be matched to the item and the route it will travel, otherwise the result is damage, leakage or avoidable plastic waste.

A big plastic bag is often the simplest method to transport soft fillings cleanly, because it lets a cook or packer control where the material goes instead of smearing it across the side of a tray or wrapper. That same view matters in packaging lines when sachets, pastes, creams or wet food need to be filled neatly without wasting product or dirtying seals. A cut corner turns the bag into a basic dosing tool, and the same fast handling trick can reduce mess, speed up changeovers, and retain the work area tidier. Small tools often make the biggest contrast when splash, leakage and product loss are the proper problem.

Large Plastic Bags Sale

Large plastic bags need to be chosen for the job they must transport out, not only for their size. A bag that sees generous on paper can still split if the film gauge is also light, the seal is poor, or the contents have sharp edges that can scuff through amid handling. In warehousing and dispatch, that means checking how the bags sit on a pallet, how easily they slide when stacked, and whether the material will grasp up in transit without stretching into a weak shape. Storage conditions matter also, because heat and sunlight can make a few plastics age badly. A sound specification reduces handling damage and saves time at the packing bench.

Extra big plastic bags have a practical job in warehousing and packing, and size alone does not make them useful. The proper issue is whether the bag gives enough capacity without becoming awkward to handle, split at the seams, or swallow space in storage and transport. A bag that is also big can trap air, make pallet loads unstable, and slow down packing lines because operatours need to manage excess film and awkward folds. Gauge also matters, since thin polythene suppliers may suit light, fat products while heavier consignment loads need tougher material and better seal quality. Used well, these bags assist with secondary packing and dust protection; used badly, they create waste, handling damage, and poor select-face efficiency.

Printed zip lock plastic bags normally need a sensible lead time because the bag, the print, and the sealing hardware all have to be install properly before production beginnings. Fifteen days is a practical planning figure when artwork, film gauge, seal quality, and bag size all need checking against the job spec. If the order is urgent, the proper issue is not only making more bags faster, nevertheless making sure the print matches, the zip tracks close cleanly, and the finished bags can pass packing without delays on the line. That kind of lead-time control retains the order usable rather than simply rushed.

Printed plastic bags do above transport a product name, because the print has to survive handling, stacking, and the rough treatment that comes with dispatch. If the film gauge is also light, the bag can stretch, scuff, or tear before it reaches the client, while weak ink stickiness can leave a tired, patchy stop on the shelf. Good pack design balances appearance with practical use, making sure seal quality and bag strength are not sacrificed for a sharp emblem. That balance matters most on fast-moving lines where bags are packed, boxed, and stored in bulk. A bag that sees proper nevertheless fails in transit is still a poor trade selection.

Perforated plastic bags are a practical method to grasp bananas after ripening treatment, nevertheless they do not stop the fruit from continuing to change. The small holes enable a few air movement, which assists prevent condensation and reduces the risk of trapped moisture causing surface damage or mould, yet the bags still leave the fruit exposed to the normal pace of shelf-life changes. In the trial, any early delay in ripening from cool or low-oxygen treatment was only temporary once the fruit had time on display, and the 1-MCP fruit still showed browning as the peel old. That is a superb reminder that packaging can assist handling and storage, nevertheless it cannot grasp back fruit biology for long.

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

How to look knowledgeable about plastic bags

Poly bags work optimal when the make-up matches the job, because a handle, a side seal and the chosen gauge all affect how securely a package or carrier pack can be carried. A thin film may see tidy, nevertheless it can split at the handle or stretch also far once the bag is loaded with heavy or awkward items. Better material control gives stronger welds, less tears and a cleaner stop, while the proper print and appearance assist the pack see presentable at point of sale. In a busy packing line, that kind of reliability reduces waste and retains complaints down. When the bag is designed for proper handling rather than only appearance, it grasps up properly in transport and use.

packaging manufacturers suppliers Bags & Sheets

polythene suppliers bags still earn their place in packing lines because they keep safe products cheaply, fast, and with small fuss when the gauge suits the job. A light carrier for loose parts, a stronger sack for waste, or a printed bag for shopping handling all behave differently on the shop floor, so the gross specification soon causes split seams, awkward sealing, or excess film use. Stock control matters as much as material selection, since bags that are also thin or badly folded slow packing and lead to handling damage. Kept matched to the product and the process, polythene suppliers bags stay a practical reply rather than a origin of waste.

Types of Plastic Bags Imported to the US

The tariff on non-ethylene plastic bags can stop up making the greener option harder to sell, even though it sees like a win for sustainability on paper. Bags manufactured from other polymers often compete directly with normal ethylene bags, and that means the duty lands on the very products that are trying to offer a lower-impact selection. In practical terms, additional cost at origin can push converters back towards the familiar material, particularly if the substitute requirements tighter process control or comes off the machine at a slower rate. That can narrow the spectrum on offer to retailers and packers, leaving the market leaning on the cheapest bag rather than the optimal fit for the job.

Small Plastic Bags for Sale

Small plastic bags are often bought in bulk because handling and stock control matter above the bag itself. When cartons grasp plenty low-gauge bags, the main issue is not glamour nevertheless consistency: the film must open cleanly, seams must grasp, and the bags need to separate without sticking together or splitting at the fold. Shops and warehouses also rely on tidy packing counts so select-face work stays fast and dispatch errours stay low. If the bags are intended for online sale, lines need transparent stock rotation and sensible secondary packing to retain them clean and prepared for prompt shipment. That is the sort of detail that turns a simple item into a proper consumable.

A big plastic bag can be gross for a makeshift barrier, nevertheless it is a poor fit for proper transport conditions. A bag that sees roomy on the floor can become awkward once a person or awkward shape is inside it, because trapped air, movement and rough handling fast cause stress points. In packaging terms, that is the same problem seen when flimsy polythene suppliers is used for unstable, fat products: the material shifts, sees untidy and offers small control. Airport and warehouse staff know that anything oversised and loosely contained creates handling issues, and the result is normally trouble rather than protection. The safer option is proper containment matched to the job.

Large plastic bags sound like a simple purchase, nevertheless the useful point is normally how they fit the job on the shop floor or in dispatch. A bag that is also flimsy splits when filled with offcuts, loose components, or fat waste, while one with the gross gauge can be awkward to seal, stack, or transport securely. Material selection matters because polythene suppliers behaves differently depending on thickness, load shape, and whether the contents have sharp edges. A decent bag also assists retain work areas tidier and makes assortment easier, which saves handling time and reduces mess around bins or pallets.

additional big plastic bags:

Extra big plastic bags need careful buying because size alone does not make them uniform for the job. A low-cost bag may see fine online, yet the proper issue is whether the film gauge, seal strength and opening size match the load, the storage space and the method the bag will be handled on site. Big bags are often used for fat, awkward or lightweight items that can shift and grasp the air, so weak material or poor sealing can lead to splits and handling damage very fast. Stock teams also need to think about fold size, dispatch volume and how easily the bags can be picked and stored without wasting space. The optimal selection is the one that balances capacity with proper performance, because a big bag that fails early costs above it saves.

Zip lock plastic bags give a simple method to retain small items contained, visible and easy to reopen without tearing the pack apart. The transparent polythene suppliers lets contents be checked fast, which assists in picking, counting and stock control, while the self-press seal adds a repeatable closure for parts, samples or shopping loose-occupy items. A superb bag still relies on the proper gauge and seal quality, because a flimsy film can split at the side gusset or lose grip after a few cycles. For warehousing and dispatch, that means less spillage and less repacks, provided the bag size matches the load and the seal is closed cleanly each time.

Printed plastic bags need to be specified and handled with recycling in mind, not only eye-catching artwork. A bag that carries a bold print can still perform well in packing, nevertheless the ink coverage, film gauge and selection of polymer all affect how easily it can be collected, sorted and turned into another product later on. Heavy decoration, poor ink stickiness or mixed materials can make a simple carrier harder to recycle and more likely to be rejected at the reprocessing stage. Stockholding also matters, because printed bags that sit also long in damp or hot conditions can lose seal quality or suffer surface scuffing. The sensible come is to balance print appearance with recovery at stop of use, because a bag that sees superb nevertheless fails in the waste stream is poor trade.

Perforated plastic bags give pears the controlled airflow they need amid cool storage, because the fruit is picked hard and then finishes ripening later. Without ventilation, moisture builds up and the skins can sweat, which shortens shelf life and encourages soft spots, while fully open packaging can dry the fruit out also fast and waste weight. The small holes in the film let the fruit breathe at the proper rate, so the pears stay sound in the fridge until needed. Taking them out in small lots also assists stock rotation and reduces the chance of a all bag above-ripening at once. That simple packaging selection retains handling losses down and gives better eating quality at the point of use.

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!