Retail Bags and Boxes News and Trends

Research your options for wholesale retail bags and boxes

When you're looking into retail bags and boxes news and trends, the number one issue is the growing concern about plastic bags. American consumers use about 100 billion bags per year, but recycle less than 1 percent of these bags. Several major cities in the United States have actually banned retail plastic bags or threatened to charge a premium for consumers to use them. It's a very confusing time for retailers.

While the overuse of plastic bags is in the news, other trends include the use of alternatives, including paper, jute, canvas, recycled materials and reusable bags. The bottom line is that it's best to explore your options, and make thoughtful decisions about the kinds of bags and boxes you're going to use in your business. Give customers a bag or a box they can re-use, and offer recycled products where possible.

1. Choose retail bags and bulk gift boxes that achieve an objective of reducing waste, such as polypropylene bags.

2. Encourage customers to use their own bags to reduce plastic bag usage wherever possible.

3. Promote your efforts to go green by publicizing a move to recycled retail boxes, for example.

 

Read up on the efforts to ban plastic retail bags

Some major cities, including San Francisco and Los Angeles, have completely banned plastic retail bags. It's important to stay on top of the news surrounding the growing scorn of plastic bags as you plan your next purchasing moves.
Try: The New York Times promotes discussion on the proliferation of plastic bags. The American Chemistry Council's Progressive Bag Affiliates, representing retail bag manufacturers, are working to encourage recycling in the plastic bag industry.

Offer alternatives to plastic retail bags

Major companies are now touting their efforts to safeguard our environment. Any company that bucks this trend may receive an unpleasant backlash as concern for the environment grows. You can boost your company's image by publicizing your alternatives to plastic bags, such as investing in wholesale retail bags made of paper or recycled boxes.
Try: Planet Ark offers ideas for retailers to reduce plastic bag usage. The DailyTitan.com features a story about Ikea dropping its use of plastic bags completely.

Use bulk shopping bags to get your company message across

You can discover important trends in the retail bag industry at sites specific to retail. One important trend as consumers become more eco-conscious are paper shopping bags, which, if sturdy enough, customers can reuse all over town, giving unmeasured free advertising to the company.
Try: ReusableBags.com has plenty of facts about alternatives to plastic bags. Join the discussion forum on RetailWire as they talk about the power of shopping bags as a fashionable accessory.

 

• Conduct in-store recycling by providing a place for customers to bring back their plastic retail bags for re-use.

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