Retail bags

Buy crystal clear polypropylene display bags to make any product or retail display sparkle.

Try this extensive range of carrier bags for the best selection of the popular retail bag used by shoppers everywhere.

Retail bags are…

• Any bags used within the retail sector, including...
• Shopping bags, carrier bags, display bags, produce bags, packing bags and mailing bags
• Available in a range of styles, shapes, sizes and thicknesses to suit the job in hand
• Used to support every aspect of a retail business, from displaying products (display bags) to packing food or other items (packing bags) and allowing customers to collect produce (produce bags) to helping them carry their shopping home (carrier bags)
• Usually made from polythene, although some retail bags are made from other materials
• Often available in a biodegradable alternative to polythene (e.g. biodegradable carrier bags), thus helping to show your customers that you care about the environment
• Also made from paper (e.g. brown or white paper bags, take away carriers, high end flexiloop shopping bags)

The term ‘retail bags’ is used to describe a wide variety of bags used within the retail sector to cover a range of tasks from storing to carrying products and making life easier for both the retailer and the consumer alike.

Retail bags actually included a number of other ranges of bags that have their own specific name - including but not limited to carrier bags, produce bags, packing bags, mailing bags and others - and are a standalone type of bag in their own right. They are grouped together under the broad term ‘retail bags’ as they are all used within the retail environment.

Ten reasons why is in the news film front bags

Clear wrapping film only works well when the gauge, slip and stretch are matched to the method the pack is built and handled. If the film is also clingy, it snatches on the bench, slows hand packing and leaves operatours fighting the wrap instead of keeping the line moving. If it is also slippery or also thin, corners lift, bundles lose shape and pallets beginning to transport amid transport. That balance matters only as much on the shop floor as it does in the warehouse, because a tidy-looking pack still has to survive stacking, picking and a fair bit of rough treatment before it reaches the next stage.

£0 PRETYZOOM Halloween Drawstring Black Shining Candy Bags Plastic Drawstring Goodies Bags w…

Candy bags with a drawstring need to be judged as working packs, not only pretty ones. A glossy stop may see lively on shelf, nevertheless the proper test is whether the film will occupy cleanly, seal properly and survive the knocks of collation and secondary packing. Thin polythene suppliers can dash well when the gauge is even and the melt is controlled, yet poor consistency soon shows up as seal creep or splits at the weld when confectionery presses against the sides. Cord or ribbon closures also create weak points if the aperture and header are not designed properly. A bag that handles badly on the line soon becomes a problem in the warehouse as well.

Sweet bags need to suit the packing method as well as the product, because a wrapper that sees superb on a display gantry can still be awkward on the line. A small counter bag for loose sweets requirements proper seal quality, a film gauge that gives enough strength without making the pack stiff, and a size that occupies cleanly without wasting material. If the bag is also big, the contents slide about and the stop sees untidy; if it is also tight, corners can split and the seal line can be stressed. A sensible specification makes filling faster and retains the finished pack tidy on shelf, which is what normally sells the sweets.

Greeting card bags rely on a tight film specification because the sleeve must keep safe the card without spoiling the display. When the gauge is proper, the polythene suppliers feeds smoothly, folds neatly at the flap and gives a clean side seal that stays intact in cartons and on shelf trays. If the film wanders in thickness, the bag can curl, snatch in the machine or split where the seal has done a weak job. That sort of inconsistency slows packing, creates rejects and leaves staff sorting out damage that should not ever have left the line.

1000 - C5 Cello Bags Self Seal for Greeting Cards

Self-seal cello bags suit small products that need tidy presentation and fast packing without additional machinery. A superb bag retains lightweight items clean, visible and easy to count, which assists on the bench and at the dispatch stop. The self-adhesive flap saves time compared with twist ties or loose closures, and that matters when the same article is packed in high numbers. Film clarity also assists the client inspect the contents without opening the pack, reducing handling damage and returns. When the gauge is chosen properly, the bag stays tidy rather than sagging or splitting at the seam, so the all pack sees more proper.

Coated Polyprop Bags

Coated polyprop bags make sense where filled packs must stay clean, stable and easy to dash through a packing line. The coating changes how the surface behaves, so fine powders are less likely to dust at the spout and the bag copes better with moisture in the air. That matters when the contents can cake, select up pollution or shift in transit after leaving the line. The woven structure still retains tare weight down and assists pallet stacks grasp shape, so filling speed does not have to be sacrificed for barrier performance. Specified with the proper coating weight and base resin consistency, they also print well and stand up to scuffing, which retains handling losses low.

Polypropylene bags give a useful mix of strength and low weight, which is why they are normal for bulk products that need to transport through a warehouse without tearing at the seams. The woven structure spreads load better than plain film, so the bag can take rougher handling from filling, stacking, and loading into vehicles. That said, performance relies on the weave, stitching, and the gauge of the yarn used, because a weak top seam or loose weave can undo the benefit. For products that are dusty, granular, or awkward to stack, the bag requirements the proper balance between breathability and containment. A well-chosen specification cuts handling damage and retains pallets steadier in transit.

High clarity bags speed up stock handling because the contents are visible at a glance, which cuts out the fiddly business of opening packs for checks, selects and returns. That matters most in busy warehouses where mixed lines transport fast between storage, dispatch and receiving, because staff can confirm the proper item without breaking the seal or disturbing secondary packing. The visual earn also assists on the shop floor, where a clean-looking pack makes shelf checks quicker and reduces the chance of repacking damage. Even so, clarity alone is not enough, since a thin gauge or poor weld will let the pack fail when it is stacked, dropped or dragged across handling equipment. A transparent bag only earns its place when it stays intact through the full journey.

Crystal transparent bags suit photograph storage because the film stays transparent without clouding the image or putting the print at risk. A superb archival bag has to do above see tidy on a shelf; it requirements to retain out dust, fingerprints and airborne grime while avoiding the acids and lignin found in poorer plastics and paper products. The proper BOPP gauge gives enough body to handle repeated use without feeling thick or clumsy, and the transparent stop also assists staff or collectours identify contents fast. That makes cataloguing and display simpler, with less handling damage and less time spent opening packs.

Bakers bags have to be tougher than they first see, because loose bread and rolls are handled fast, stacked, carried and opened in a rush. The paper or film requirements enough strength to survive transit without splitting, yet still open cleanly at the counter when air, steam or a small grease has softened the product inside. If the bag gauge is also light, corners tear and dust or crumbs escape; if it is also heavy, the pack feels wasteful and awkward. Good bag selection retains the product tidy and the shelf presentation tidy, which is what most bakery counters rely on.

Retail bags and polythene

The vast majority of retail bags are made from polyethylene, more widely known as polythene, in a range of thicknesses to suit the task in hand. The thickness of the polythene - also known as the gauge or density - varies from very thin, as with thin counter bags - at just 9 microns thick - to thick, as with premium quality carrier bags such as clip-close carrier bags - at 75 microns (300 gauge) thick.

Not all retail bags are made from polyethylene, or polythene, however. Some retail bags, like takeaway bags for example, are made from paper, while others, like gift bags, are made from cardboard.

But as this website is all about retail bags and the most common form as retail bags are polythene bags, this website will be focussing on polythene bags in these pages.

Carrier bags - the number one retail bag

By far and away the most popular form of retail bag, carrier bags are employed by retailers in every corner of the globe, making them the big daddy of the retail trade as far as polythene bags are concerned.

Carrier bags are designed to allow the customer to carry purchased products from the shop to their homes or businesses in an ergonomic manner. The bags come with different types of handle styles to allow the customer to carry the bag. Many types of handle give the bag its name, with some of the popular styles including: vest carriers, patch handle carriers and patch handle carriers.

Other popular types of carrier bag, not named after their handle, include varigauge carriers - so named because the thickness, or gauge, of the polythene is twice as thick at the top of the bag as at the top - and premium carriers, popular in the top-end fashion outlets or department stores.

Whatever type of business you own, there is a carrier bag out there for you. Whether you need cheap and cheerful or reassuringly expensive, you can always find the carrier bag to get the job done, but you can also use them to send a message to your customers about your business too.

Other popular types of retail bag

Whilst carrier bags are comfortably the most commonly used bag by the retail sector, there are many other forms of bag that perform an important role for retail businesses everywhere. These include:

Produce bags - Used by food retailers from mega-size supermarkets to small local butchers, thin light produce bags are an essential item for any food retailer. Available either on the roll or served loose from a packet, food bags can be used both from behind the counter - e.g. a butcher bagging up a pound of mince - or at front of house, as with the tear-off bags used in supermarkets to collect loose fruit.

Display bags - Employed by retailers who want to display their products in the best possible light, crystal clear display bags make products sparkle. Manufactured from high clarity polypropylene - similar to cellophane but clearer, thicker, stronger and cheaper - these bags are used for presenting a range of products, including greetings cards, magazines and sweets. Also available in sleeve form, as used with flowers and CDs to make them shine.

Mailing or postage bags - These polythene mailers, complete with integral sealing strip, are the perfect way to deliver products to your customers. Lightweight and waterproof, poly mailers are a great alternative to traditional envelopes. They are available in a range of styles and in plain or coloured polythene. You can also get your mailing bags printed with your very own company logo, branding or slogan, so that they really stand out from the crowd and make your business the most memorable one in any batch of mail.

Gift bags - The most popular retail bag that isn’t made of polythene, gift bags are a great way to present a gift to friends, loved ones or colleagues without having to even wrap it! No need to wrapping paper, scissors, cellotape or minutes of your life wasted trying to make a gift look nice. Just place your present in you shiny gift bag - complete with a smart cord handle and your gift will look just fantastic. Available in standard shape for regular everyday presents like books, CDs or jewellery, or in bottle gift bags - the perfect way to present any bottled gift from champagne to a fine Scotch whiskey.

Where to buy retail bags

Retail bag manufacturers and suppliers include:

Paper Bags
The website that caters for all of your paper bag needs, Paper Bags is the ideal online destination for anyone buying paper take away carriers, shopping bags or other paper bags. Also a very useful resource on biodegradable packaging.
www.paperbags.co

Display Bags
If you want to buy or find out more information on high clarity polypropylene display bags, then this is the website for you. A firm favourite with retailers who wants to make their products sparkle!
www.displaybags.org.uk

Plastic Food Bags
A fantastic website for anyone looking to buy plastic food bags or produce bags at discount prices. Contains tonnes of information and details of where to buy polythene food bags - the best way to keep your food fresh and help customers handle fresh food from the shelf.
www.discountfoodbags.co.uk

Polythene Bags
A website dedicated to polythene bags used in the retail sector, including food bags, display bags, carrier bags, printed carrier bags and mailing bags. If you work in the UK's retail sector and need polythene bags, this is the website for you!
www.ukpolythenebags.co.uk

Gift Bags
A useful source of information on gift bags and retail display bags - used to enhance product displays for everything from greetings cards to flowers and clothes to sweets. Featuring a handy display bag size guide, news on display bags and eco-friendly alternatives.
www.giftbagsdirect.co.uk

Retail Bags
The home of retail bags and shopping bags online. If you're looking for bags to your shop or retail outlet, from plain or printed carrier bags to display bags, then take a look at this very handy website.
www.retailbags.co.uk

Kraft Bags
Kraft Bags is a website specialising in kraft bags and other paper bags - a fantastic environmentally-friendly alternative to traditional polythene shopping bags.
www.kraftbags.org

Carrier Bags
Work in the retail sector? Looking for carrier bags or other retail bags for your shop? This website has it covered, with tonnes of information and details of where to buy a range of carrier bags and other retail bags, including food bags and glossy display bags.
www.retailbags.org

Research & Resources

For plenty more information on the broad range of retail bags available, including how they are manufactured and how they benefit the retail sector, please visit:

PlasticBags.uk.com: Popular polythene packaging directory listing a large selection of specialist retail bags websites and allowing retailers to product listings for free.

Goldstork: This 'best-of-the-web' free directory features a range of specialist websites on display bags and other retail bags, plus hand-picked information and carefully selected features.

PackagingKnowledge: The UK's premier plastic packaging knowledge website features loads of in-depth articles and detailed information on a huge range of retail bags, including carrier bags, mailing bags and display bags.

Printed carrier bags - the ultimate retail bag

If carrier bags are the number one retail bag, then printed carrier bags take them one step further and make them kings of the retail bag world.

The choice of carrier bags you choose for your retail outlet can say a lot about your business, even when you’re using off-the-shelf plain carriers. But if you take that carrier and the print your very own personalised message or design on the side of the bag, then you’ve got the ultimate way to send a message about your business.

Create your very own custom-made design, complete with company logo, advertising slogan or bespoke design - including seasonal designs like those employed during sales or at Christmas - and you can get just the message you want out there not just to your own customers picking up the bags, but to every other potential customer that sees them walking around with your professional, personalised, printed carrier bag.

Turn your customers into walking adverts for your retail outlet with your very own printed carrier bag. The difference between having a forgettable bag and an instantly memorable one could be the difference between your shop or store making it in the cut-throat world of retail.

Biodegradable retail bags

A number retail bags manufactured from traditional polythene - as listed elsewhere on this page - are also available made from biodegradable materials so that, when they need to be disposed of, they don’t contribute to landfill. The biodegradable material from which these bags are made will degrade 100% on prolonged contact with compost or soil, meaning that you make less of an impact on the environment.

What’s more, courtesy of a small green logo placed on all of the bags, your customers will know that you care about the environment too.

The following retail bags are available in biodegradable alternatives: biodegradable carrier bags, biodegradable mailing bags, biodegradable clear bags (for presenting your products) and eco-friendly bin liners (for keeping your shop clean).