When businesses think about advertising, they usually think about social media, search, television or billboards. They are less likely to think about the bag a customer carries out of their shop. But research into promotional products suggests that a well-designed branded tote bag can generate thousands of impressions during its lifetime - creating a potentially significant advertising asset long after the original purchase has been made. Using industry advertising benchmarks, our analysis suggests that 300 branded tote bags could collectively generate around 1.47 million impressions over their lifetimes. That is close to the 1.5 million daily advertising impressions associated with a Times Square billboard.

From bookshops and museums to supermarkets and restaurants, the humble tote bag is increasingly becoming part of a brand’s identity. New research from BagKraft has found that 57 of 100 leading consumer brands and cultural organisations with a UK presence now have an identity-led tote bag — one designed not simply to carry purchases, but to be seen, kept and reused. The trend is particularly pronounced among cultural organisations and booksellers, where all 20 organisations included in our research had an identity-led tote. It suggests that branded bags are increasingly moving beyond their traditional role as packaging and becoming something closer to affordable merchandise

England has made huge progress in reducing single-use plastic carrier bags over the past decade. But new analysis by BagKraft reveals that progress among retailers outside the biggest supermarket groups has slowed dramatically – with 272 million bags still reported as sold last year.

A simple guide to recycling common household items in the UK, including what can go in your home recycling bin and what needs specialist disposal.

See how BagKraft’s FSC® C007915 certification ensures responsibly sourced, traceable paper bags that meet UK standards—building trust and reducing environmental impact.

Reduce your packaging footprint with BagKraft’s Carbon Balanced Paper—offset emissions, protect forests with World Land Trust, and demonstrate credible climate action.

BagKraft supports Two Sides’ Love Paper, highlighting paper’s renewability, recyclability, and real data on European forest growth to help you choose sustainable packaging.