Why use paper bags as an alternative to plastic in your shop?

With the new regulation on plastic bags in shops coming into force on 1st July, which establishes that shops must charge customers for this type of bag, the search for more sustainable options that facilitate the transport of products purchased by the consumer has become necessary. In this area, paper bags emerge as a resistant, reusable and recyclable alternative, which can also be offered by the retailer at no extra cost to users.The reduction of plastic consumption is a key objective of European governments for the coming years. Moreover, many social actors have embarked on the task of raising public awareness about the environmental consequences of plastic abuse. This is the case of National Geographic magazine, which a few days ago brought to its cover the eight million tons of plastic that end up in the ocean each year, represented graphically in the magazine’s cover, and the fact that the plastic bags have been used in a number of different ways

► 6 advantages of paper bags

paper bags have a number of advantages that make them very suitable for transporting all kinds of items, including perishable goods. Paper bags are:

1. Attractive

Paper bags tend to be more appealing to consumers, making them have a more favourable perception of the shop that issues them.

2. Customisable

Paper bags can be easily customised, including your logo and key brand messages, which contributes to customer loyalty. See here why you should choose customised paper bags for your shop.

3. Reusable

Quality paper bags, such as Rajashop kraft bags with curled handles, can be reused on dozens of occasions
4.

Sustainable

The impact of a paper bag on the environment is much less than that caused by a plastic bag. Suffice it to say that a paper element only needs a few months or, at most, a year to degrade, whereas it takes several centuries for plastic to be completely diluted

. 5. Resistant

According to the Technological Institute of Packaging, Transport and Logistics (Itene), the resistance of paper bags is very high

• Paper bags with handles hold more than 12 kilos if they are small, and more than 14 kilos if they are medium-sized.
• Paper envelope bags without handles can easily hold two kilos in the small size and five kilos in the medium size.

if you still have doubts, watch in this video how a paper bag is able to support the weight of a person:

6. Recyclable

The Spanish Association of Manufacturers of Pulp, Paper and Cardboard (Aspapel) calculates that the cellulose – central substance in the elaboration of paper – can be submitted to a recycling process an average of six times.

► what do consumers think about paper bags?

the study what do consumers think about paper bags?, elaborado por LinQ Market Research España para labolsadepapel.com, apunta que los compradores españoles “están muy satisfechos con la bolsa de papel” y “le otorgan una nota media de 5,46 puntos sobre 7”. Entre sus virtudes, destacan la buena imagen que la bolsa de papel transmite acerca del comercio, el cuidado del medio ambiente, el diseño, la calidad, la practicidad, la modernidad y el hecho de poder usarla para otras cosas.

De hecho, un 70% de los encuestados manifestó que, pudiendo elegir entre ambas opciones y al mismo precio, se quedaría con una bolsa de papel, relegando a una posición secundaria a las bolsas de plástico.

Por otro lado, y según los fabricantes del sector, el uso de bolsas de papel en los comercios no hace sino crecer: se incrementó en un 15% en 2017 con respecto al año anterior y, a día de hoy, más de dos tercios de los minoristas del ámbito de la moda, el hogar y la óptica, así como de panaderías y pastelerías, se decantan por la entrega de bolsas de papel rajapack paper bagsand don’t forget to personalise them with our Rajaprint service. We explain how to do it here:

► Other eco-friendly alternatives to paper bags

other alternatives to the plastic bag include

• Biodegradable bags: Made from cereal starch and very strong and eye-catching, they can also be personalised with your brand!

• Reusable bags: Non-woven bags, cotton bags and raffia bags are all excellent choices because of their durability and beauty, your brand will not go unnoticed!

At Rajapack we are experts in packaging and we care about the environment. So if you want to buy bags to replace plastic bags, or if you have any doubts, you have landed in the perfect place. We deliver in 24/48h to the whole peninsula and we also attend you by phone 902 20 30 06. You can also visit our website: