Packaging

Packaging

Buy polythene packaging now.

Packaging comes in many forms. It is very much part of our everyday lives and is used for a wide variety of purposes.

Packaging and its many uses

Polythene packaging is used for everything from storage to branding and from protection to maintaining hygiene. It takes on all sorts of shapes and sizes, from the finest film display bags used to make products look special, through to thick plastic sheeting used on building sites or in home decoration to protect surfaces.

Good quality packaging can be made from a vast array of regular or biodegradable polythene, designed to perfectly suit the job that the packaging is designed to carry out - and that’s a long list of jobs.

Packaging is used to keep food fresh, to keep products dry, to carry our shopping, to post our mail, to collect our rubbish, to keep our clothes free from dust and dirt, to protect items in storage or transit and much, much more.

Plastic packaging is used in every walk of life, from the home to the workplace. It has become such an integral part of 21st century life, that it is hard to imagine what life would be like without it.

Types of packaging

Listing every type of packaging would take a very long time so, instead, here is a list of some of the most commonly-used types of packaging.

Trending views on food bags

polythene suppliers Food Bags - 200 x 250mm

polythene suppliers food bags in the 200 x 250mm class tend to be treated as a commodity line, yet the engineering below is rather less casual than the list of products entry recommends. In food-handling environments, the bag film has to strike a narrow balance between gauge discipline and seal integrity; push the film also light and puncture resistance drops away amid secondary bagging or fast select-face replenishment, push it also heavy and tare weight starts to erode volumetric efficiency across the consignment. The better formats are normally built around consistent melt-flow behaviour in the extrusion phase, which retains wall thickness even across the web and reduces weak shoulders at the foldan unglamorous detail, nevertheless one that determines whether bags open cleanly below line speed or cling together through static and surface drag. There is a circular-economy angle as well, though it relies on specification rather than rhetoric: mono-material polythene suppliers remains comparatively straightforward to recover where clean waste streams are maintained, and the amortised energy per unit can be kept in check when pack geometry, pallet stability and stock holding are sensibly aligned. In practice, that means a food bag is not merely a sack for loose manufacture or ingredients; it is a small-format packaging component whose polymer chain density, seal performance and handling properties quietly shape throughput on the warehouse floor.

AKUL FOOD LINERS on Map

Food liners sit in a rather more exacting type than casual packaging copy ever admits: they have to maintain product integrity, dash cleanly through filling lines and secondary bagging, and do so without introducing needless tare weight or awkward waste streams at products-in. In practice, that means balancing film clarity and seal performance against puncture resistance, slip properties and micron-specific gauging; a liner that is fractionally overbuilt drags on volumetric efficiency and pallet stability, while one that is also lean invites split seals, product dusting and stock losses at the select-face. The better converters have moved towards mono-material polythene suppliers structures with tightly controlled melt-flow consistency and surface treatment calibrated for proper seals rather than theatrical claimsan come that facilitates recyclability where assortment exists, while also reducing the amortised energy tied up in replacement stock and rejected consignments. Even routine promotional traffic in this segment tends to reflect that industrial logic: the serious interest lies not in the offer itself, nevertheless in whether the liner specification mitigates pollution risk, static select-up and handling friction across the all packing operation.

Compostable food bags occupy an awkward nevertheless increasingly well-defined niche on the packing bench: they are expected to behave with the tidy predictability of light-gauge polythene suppliers amid filling, knotting and short-term stock holding, while being derived from bio-based or otherwise biodegradable feedstock systems that reply very differently to load, humidity and heat. That tension is where most of the engineering sits. A small-format food bag has to retain enough puncture resistance for secondary bagging of peelings, bread ends or loose manufacture, yet avoid the heavy-film overbuild that undermines volumetric efficiency and inflates tare weight across a mixed consignment. In practice, the better-performing compostable grades tend to rely on tightly controlled film orientation and micron-specific gauging to maintain seal integrity and opening properties at the select face; if the melt-flow consistency is poorly managed, the result is familiar to anyone on the warehouse floorblocking in the wicket, erratic tear propagation and pallet quantities that see respectable on paper nevertheless handle badly in proper distribution. The more credible formats also address stop-of-life with a degree of honesty: mono-material recyclability is rarely the selling point here, so the case rests instead on feedstock sustainability, composting compatibility below the proper conditions, and the amortised energy argument above the bag's full duty cycle. None of that excuses mediocre converting. Surface feel, slip behaviour and dimensional stability still matter, because a compostable bag that distorts in stock or sheds efficiency at packing simply relocates waste further up the line.

For food contact applications, the conversation starts not with vague claims about eco credentials nevertheless with resin architecture and line discipline: high-density polythene suppliers offers the stiffness-to-gauge ratio that busy packing halls tend to favour, because a properly controlled micron profile gives decent tear resistance without burdening the pack with needless tare weight. That matters on the warehouse floor; lighter bags improve volumetric efficiency across a consignment, yet if the film is drawn also thin or the melt-flow consistency wanders, pallet stability suffers once outer cases start to settle in transit. The better operatours so focus on seal integrity, slip behaviour and surface cleanliness in the converting stageparticularly where secondary bagging and fast select-face replenishment expose all disadvantage in the film. There is also a quieter circular-economy point that seasoned buyers increasingly recognise: mono-material polythene suppliers formats are far easier to recover than mixed laminates, provided inks, additives and pollution are kept within sensible limits. In practice, the most serviceable food bags are rarely the ones with the loudest specification sheet; they are the ones engineered to dash cleanly on form-occupy-seal kit, maintain dimensional consistency lot after lot, and mitigate waste through less split packs, less line stoppages, and less discarded stock.

Details about   Clear polythene suppliers Plastic Food Bags 6 x 8", 100 Gauge Choose Qty

Clear food-grade polythene suppliers bags at 6 x 8 inches and 100 gauge occupy a very specific niche on the packing bench: light enough to retain tare weight in check, yet sufficiently robust in film structure to tolerate routine handling, secondary bagging and the stop-beginning abrasion that comes with mixed-product consignments. In practice, that gauge tends to offer a workable balance between puncture resistance and material economy, particularly where product visibility matters and micron discipline cannot be sacrificed for mere cost trimming. The proper engineering interest lies in the polymer itself consistent melt-flow behaviour and even wall distribution are what prevent weak spots at the seal line, maintain pallet presentation, and reduce split stock in transit. For food applications, clarity is not simply cosmetic; it facilitates fast stock identification, assists select-face efficiency, and limits unnecessary handling on the warehouse floor. At the same time, a straightforward mono-material polythene suppliers format sits more adequately within established recycling streams than multi-layer laminates, which means the packaging selection has implications well beyond the despatch area less pollution risk, simpler segregation, and a more credible route towards amortised energy recovery across the bag's full lifecycle.

Food Bags

In practice, food bags of this type sit in an awkward nevertheless increasingly relevant space between disposable polythene suppliers formats and rigid food-storage stock: the engineering case rests less on novelty than on repeat-cycle performance. A four-part set with two larger and two medium capacities lends itself to proper kitchen throughputbatch parts, cut manufacture, secondary containment for prepared mealsyet the more telling detail is the closure geometry. Opening and resealing must be achieved without excessive pinch force or flange distortion, otherwise the bags are tolerated for a week and then left at the back of the cupboard. Silicone, when compounded with consistent wall thickness and predictable elasticity, mitigates that failure mode; it retains seal integrity across repeated thermal and mechanical cycling, while the broader mouth improves occupy speed and reduces the small nevertheless familiar nuisance of product hang-up in the corners. There is, admittedly, a tare-weight penalty when set against lightweight polythene suppliers pouches, and volumetric efficiency in a drawer or packed consignment is not frequently as tidy as with thin-gauge film, nevertheless the trade-off is durability and a markedly longer service life. From a circular-economy standpoint, the argument is not simple recyclabilitysilicone does not transport through the same mono-material streams as normal flexible packagingnevertheless amortised energy across repeated use, lower demand for secondary bagging, and less short-life items passing through domestic waste channels. That is where the specification earns its retain: not in big claims, nevertheless in the material's stability, the closure's operability, and the fact that repeated use is only realistic when the article remains straightforward on a busy worktop.

Marzipan's trouble is not microbial instability so much as moisture migration: once the unique wrap is breached, the almond-sugar mass beginnings losing pliability at the surface, then through the body, and what was workable becomes brittle enough to split below rolling or moulding pressure. Small polythene suppliers food bags are well suited to that duty because the film's low tare weight and close-drape behaviour enable a tight secondary bagging regime without introducing much dead space; double wrapping, in practice, reduces air exchange at the seams and mitigates the localised drying that tends to start at corners and cut faces. Gauge matters above plenty thinkalso thin and the film is prone to pinholing and inconsistent seal integrity, also heavy and stock handling becomes needlessly clumsy for small-format partsso the sensible middle ground is a supple mono-material polythene suppliers with stable melt-flow consistency and adequate puncture resistance. Refrigeration is often counterproductive in such cases, as cool storage can promote condensation on rewarming and disturb surface texture; ambient holding, with manufacturer dating observed, generally maintains handling quality for several weeks while keeping the pack format straightforward to segregate and recycle where clean-film streams are on offer.

Chemicals in canned food liners

Food liners sit at an awkward intersection of food-contact compliance, process engineering and waste handling; a headline about BPA in can coatings may grasp the public eye, nevertheless on the factory side the proper discussion turns on barrier performance, cure stability and the migration profile below heat, salt and fat loading. In practice, the liner is not merely a thin internal skin: it is a chemically tuned interface that has to tolerate retort temperatures, maintain organoleptic stability and prevent corrosive attack on the substrate without introducing taint or extractables of its possess. That pushes converters towards tightly controlled resin systems, micron-specific coating weights and disciplined melt-flow consistency amid applicationparticularly where draw-and-iron forming, seam integrity and lacquer stickiness all interact. The wider packaging chain feels the consequences as well, because any transport away from legacy chemistries has knock-on effects for line speeds, reject rates and secondary bagging of dry stock packed alongside coated formats; if cure windows narrow, pallet stability and consignment timing can suffer through avoidable grasp points. At the same time, circular-economy pressure does not disappear simply because food safety sits at the top of the hierarchy: mono-material recyclability remains difficult where multi-layer barrier structures are doing the technical heavy lifting, so the engineering brief becomes one of balancing feedstock sustainability and amortised energy against shelf-life losses, spoilage risk and the practical realities of warehouse throughput.

A universal annual issue of compostable food bags is less a civic courtesy than a materials-handling decision with consequences at the kerbside, in the depot and at the treatment plant. The bag has to grasp wet organics without behaving like normal polythene suppliers; that means a certified compostable film with controlled wall thickness, acceptable puncture resistance and enough vapour permeability to avoid the anaerobic soup that makes caddies objectionable. Too thin a gauge and the liner fails on peelings, bones and teabags; also heavy and the authority is paying, in effect, to transport unnecessary tare weight through assortment rounds. The better schemes treat the bag as part of the waste-system architecture, reducing secondary bagging, improving participation and giving the composting operatour a cleaner, more predictable feedstock.

Custom printed food grade aluminum foil mylar plastic ziplock plastic bags for food

Custom printed food grade aluminum foil mylar plastic ziplock plastic bags for food

Carrier bags

Polythene carriers are used by millions of shoppers to carry their shopping home. Made from clear or coloured polythene with a variety of handle styles - including patch, vest, clip close and grip seal handles - and with biodegradable or starch-based compostable alternatives.

Waste bags

Waste bags do the dirty work of the polythene packaging world. Designed for office, home, garden or workplace to suit a variety of tasks, from cheap ultra-light black sacks to heavy duty rubble bags and clear polythene sacks to printed specialist hazardous waste bags.

Display bags

Made from crystal clear polypropylene - a high clarity, eco-friendly and cheap alternative to cellophane - display bags provide a fantastic way to display products for sale. Flower sleeves, greeting card bags, sweet bags and header bags all make their products sparkle!

Mailing bags

Strong, lightweight and waterproof mailing bags offer a fantastic solution to any personal or company mailing needs. Perfect for regular post or courier delivery, mailers are easy to use with an in-built adhesive strip. Range includes coloured mailers, printed mailers, heavy duty mailers, high security mailers and padded mailers.

Bubble packaging

The most popular protective packaging is bubble wrap - polythene sheets consisting of lots of tiny bubbles that protect items when wrapped around them. Perfect for keeping fragile items safe in transit or storage. Available in a range of sizes and also pre-made into bubble bags.

Food bags

Food bags are used for the display, storage and transportation of food. Commonly found in markets, supermarkets and food stores, food bags allow customers to keep their food fresh and separate from other food as they transport it home.

Plastic sheeting

Plastic sheeting, also known as builders rolls, is very popular in the building trade. Available on the roll in various sizes and thicknesses of polythene, plastic sheeting folds out to cover large areas and protect surfaces from the possible damage that occurs on building sites and during house renovations.

Printed packaging

Maximise your company’s branding opportunities with your own tailor-made packaging, designed with your company logo, colour scheme and/or marketing messages. Printed carrier bags and printed mailing bags are the two most popular solutions to give your business that extra touch of professionalism.

Where can I buy packaging?

Manufacturers and suppliers of packaging include:

Buy Packaging
Online store offering a wide range of polythene and alternative packaging. Buy direct from manufacturers at discounted prices and receive free delivery in the UK. You can also order bespoke packaging to suit your specific needs.
www.buypackaging.co.uk

Discount Poly Bag
Big UK polythene packaging company division dedicated to poly bags and plastic packaging offering excellent products at competitive prices. Poly bags sold direct from the suppliers. Also provides bespoke packaging services to help you with your custom retail packaging.
www.discountpolybag.co.uk

Discount Poly Bags
Discount Polybags provides a guide to source discount poly bags and other polythene packaging for different materials, sizes, colors and closures. Whether it is dust protection, surface protection, moisture protection you will be able source the correct plastic bag for the job.
www.discountpolybags.co.uk

Discount Polythene Bags
Great online resource for discount polythene bags. Includes a list of major suppliers of polythene bags, along with a list of popular products and a very handy buyers' guide to help you get hold of quality polythene bags but at cheap prices.
www.discountpolythenebags.co.uk

Plastic Bags Direct
Useful directory of plastic bags and packages, from plastic shopping bags to food packaging. Including details of what plastics are, their composition and the best places to buy them online.
www.plasticbagsdirect.co.uk

E-Polybags
Online polythene packaging retailer with a wide range of option for polythene bags, plastic shopping bags, carriers and much more. Also offering a printed carriers bags service and alternative eco-friendly packaging, all with free UK delivery.
www.e-polybags.co.uk

Printed Bags
Website providing you with the best suppliers of discount plastic carrier bags including patch handle, varigauge, flexiloop and more. Also offering eco-friendly alternatives and a promotional printed carrier bags service.
www.printedbags.org.uk

Bags
Find the lowest prices for plastic bags, packaging bags and polythene carrier bags from a selection of suppliers and manufacturers.
www.bags.uk.com

Bag Suppliers
BagSuppliers.co.uk provides a huge range of polythene packaging all at competitive prices. You will also find a selection of top suppliers of polythene bags and plastic packaging, research and resources and eco-friendly alternatives to polythene.
www.bagsuppliers.co.uk

Have your say about food bags

High Tensile polythene suppliers Food Bags

polythene suppliers food bags used on fast-moving packing lines are judged less by brochure language than by how they behave below repetitive handling, variable temperatures and the rather unforgiving pace of the warehouse floor. For direct food contact, the distinction lies in the resin discipline: consistent melt-flow, clean seal performance and a gauge robust enough to resist puncture from bone edges, stem abrasion or awkward product geometry, without drifting into needless tare weight. In meat and manufacture environments alike, that balance mattershigh-density polymer structure can provide the stiffness needed for fast opening and cleaner loading at the select face, while controlled film thickness assists pallet stability by preventing split stock and secondary bagging further down the line. The addition of hang holes and perforated tear-off dispensing is not merely a convenience feature; it facilitates tidy presentation at the bench, reduces fumble time between packs and retains volumetric efficiency intact by allowing compact carton storage before issue. From a circular-economy standpoint, mono-material polythene suppliers formats remain relatively straightforward to recover where clean waste streams are maintained, and the lower material burden achieved through tight micron-specific gauging assists temper amortised energy across big consignments.

Food liners sit at an awkward intersection of food chemistry, process engineering and packhouse economics; in canned soups, juices, beans and acidic tomato preparations, the internal film is not there as an indulgence nevertheless as a controlled barrier between the steel substrate and a fairly aggressive occupy medium. The technical trouble has frequently been balancing corrosion resistance, stickiness and cure behaviour against migration limitsparticularly where legacy epoxy systems derived their performance from chemistries now below sharper scrutiny. In practice, the replacement conversation is less about a single like-for-like swap and more about resin architecture: high-density polymer chains, crosslink density, film flexibility at seam formation, and micron-specific gauging all govern whether the liner survives retort cycles without craze cracking, pinholing or flavour scalping. On the factory floor, those material decisions ripple outward into line speed, can-stop integrity and stock rotation, because any drift in coating weight or melt-flow consistency tends to display up later as spoilage claims rather than tidy laboratory data. There is also the less glamorous matter of circularity; heavily composite internal coatings can complicate downstream recovery, whereas simpler mono-material thinking and lower-temperature cure systems can reduce amortised energy across the filling operation, provided the barrier performance remains stable through transport, pallet dwell and the normal abuse of the consignment chain.

Compostable food bags sit at an awkward nevertheless workable junction between assortment practicality and materials engineering. In domestic food-waste rounds, the bag is less about presentation than pollution control: it retains leachate off the caddy walls, reduces odour loading in the kitchen interval, and enables operatives to tip mixed cooked and raw fractions into the organics stream without the sort of smear and residue that slows handling at the kerbside. The technical compromise is familiar to anyone dealing with liner stockfilm gauge must be fine enough to retain tare weight and volumetric inefficiency in check, yet robust enough to withstand wet peelings, bones and plate scrapings without premature seam failure. That is where resin behaviour matters; compostable films do not mimic normal polythene suppliers in puncture response or melt-flow consistency, so bag conversion, drawdown and seal integrity need tighter process discipline than plenty buyers think. The environmental case, meanwhile, relies on the all system rather than the bag in isolation: where separate capture of food waste lifts organics yield and suppresses normal-waste pollution, the added material can be justified through cleaner feedstock to treatment and better amortised energy across the assortment chain, even if mono-material recyclability is not the route being pursued. In practice, the bag succeeds or fails on mundane realitiescaddy fit, knotting behaviour, shelf life in damp conditions, and whether it survives secondary bagging habits that households adopt when confidence in the film is less than perfect.

Clear polythene suppliers bags for food handling in the 7 x 9 inch format sit in a rather practical sweet spot: big enough for sandwiches, bakery lines and loose portioning, yet not so oversised that dead volume undermines select-face efficiency or destabilises outer packs amid transit. In engineering terms, the value lies less in mere transparency than in the balance of film clarity, gauge control and seal integrity; a well-converted bag with consistent micron tolerances will open cleanly on the packing bench, resist edge splitting amid secondary bagging, and maintain sufficient stiffness to prevent fumble at speed. For food-contact applications, the material selection typically turns on virgin low-density or similar food-safe polythene suppliers grades, where melt-flow consistency governs both optical stop and the reliability of the heat-sealed seam. That glossy, transparent presentation is not simply cosmetic it facilitates fast stock identification, reduces handling ambiguity, and assists visual quality checks without breaching the pack. There is also a logistics argument which tends to be missed outside the trade: lightweight mono-material bags transport very small tare, cube out efficiently in bulk, and do not impose the volumetric penalty associated with heavier rigid formats. When specified sensibly, they also sit more adequately within circular-economy requirements, because a straightforward, unlaminated polythene suppliers building is materially easier to recover than mixed-substrate alternatives, provided pollution is kept below control in the waste stream.

Large Plastic Food Bags - manufacturer, factory, supplier from United Kingdom

For producers of plastic food bags, the proper engineering discussion sits well beyond simple output rate. A machine configured for coreless bag-on-roll production has to grasp a very tight line between film integrity and roll geometry; if the web tension drifts, the perforation can tear inconsistently, the roll can telescope in transit, and select-face efficiency at the packing bench drops away rather fast. That is why the better installations are built around stable draw control, clean thermal sealing and micron-specific gauging of the polythene suppliers film, particularly where high-density polymer chains are being dash for stiffness without an undue tare weight penalty. Automatic operation does above trim labour content: it regularises seal dwell, maintains melt-flow consistency across long production windows and mitigates the small variations that otherwise generate secondary bagging, scrap and awkward pallet stability once consignments are stacked high. There is also a circular-economy logic to this format when it is executed properly; a mono-material building, absent a carton core, simplifies recyclability and reduces parasitic material use, while tighter roll formation improves volumetric efficiency through storage and distribution. In practice, that combination of controlled sealing, coherent roll build and leaner material deployment is what separates a merely versatile line from one that can assist food-sectour stock with the sort of repeatability warehouse operatours and converters in reality require.

Precinct 4 elderly residents acquire COVID-19 relief food bags

Relief food bags assembled amid the pandemic sat at an awkward intersection of charity logistics and packaging engineering; the contents were donated from several channels, which meant stock arrived in mixed pack formats, variable weights and inconsistent unit dimensions. That immediately put pressure on bag specification. A lightweight polythene suppliers format with proper seal integrity and controlled micron gauging facilitated fast hand-filling without frequent split-out at the select face, while a sensible tare weight preserved volumetric efficiency once consignments were palletised for onward distribution. In practice, the trouble was not merely containment nevertheless handling stability: tinned products, dry polythene suppliers and loose manufacture create shifting load paths inside the bag, so high-density polymer chains and appropriate dart impact performance matter far above casual observers tend to think. Surface behaviour played a part as wellbags that are also slick compromise stack discipline amid secondary bagging and dispatch, yet excessive cling slows throughput on a busy packing line. The more competent operations settled on mono-material polythene suppliers buildings because they simplified stop-of-life sorting and reduced pollution in the recycling stream, a modest nevertheless tangible earn in a relief model where speed, stock variability and waste control were in constant tension.

Details about   500 x Clear polythene suppliers Food Bags 24" x 36" (600 x 900mm) 120g

Clear polythene suppliers food bags in a 24 x 36 inch format sit in a fairly specific part of the packing operation: big enough to accommodate fat manufacture, bakery runs or secondary bagging of multiple inner units, yet light enough at a 120 gauge equivalent to avoid an unnecessary tare weight penalty across a full consignment. In practice, that balance matters above the headline dimensions recommend. Film with consistent melt-flow behaviour and well-controlled gauge profile tends to open cleanly on the pack bench, resists split initiation at the lip, and maintains pallet stability once filled stock is stacked below compression. The material question is equally practical rather than rhetorical; a transparent mono-material polythene suppliers building facilitates straightforward mail-use segregation where waste streams are properly managed, and that has a bearing on amortised energy across repeat packing cycles. Clarity itself is not merely cosmeticit assists quicker stock identification, reduces handling at the select face, and limits the sort of unnecessary rework that appears when outer bagging obscures labelling or product condition. In food environments, the value lies in predictability: decent seal performance, manageable surface slip, and enough film integrity to withstand warehouse friction without drifting into above-specification.

Food liners sit in an awkward space between food safety, process engineering and disposal economics; the public discussion tends to fixate on what might migrate from the pack into the product, nevertheless on the factory floor the argument is rather more exacting. The liner has to tolerate fat, salt, acidity and thermal cycling without taint, pinholing or seal failure, which is why converters lean so heavily on tight micron-specific gauging, controlled melt-flow consistency and carefully managed surface resistivity where high-speed form-occupy-seal lines are involved. In practice, a poorly specified liner does above raise compliance questions it compromises select-face efficiency through split outers, increases secondary bagging rates when seals creep below load, and unsettles pallet stability once condensate or product smear enters the stack. The present direction of travel is away from overly elaborate mixed substrates towards mono-material polythene suppliers formats where barrier demand enables; not because the rhetoric of circularity is fashionable, nevertheless because simpler structures facilitate recyclability, reduce tare weight impact across a consignment, and make amortised energy per packed unit easier to defend. That leaves converters balancing a fairly unforgiving brief: inert food contact performance, predictable machinability and a waste stream that does not become more complex than the product it was designed to keep safe.

Compostable food bags sit in a more awkward technical type than the normal paper-versus-polythene suppliers argument enables. An unpigmented, food-contact bag may avoid the pigment masterbatch and optical brighteners that complicate a few recovered streams, nevertheless its environmental performance is governed less by appearance than by polymer chemistry, wall thickness and stop-of-life route. Starch-blend or compostable polyester films generally require tight micron-specific gauging to retain puncture resistance around wet peelings, bakery waste and chilled prepared stock; take also much gauge out and the bag fails at the select-face, put also much back in and the amortised energy rises needlessly. In a warehouse, the better article is not the one that degrades fastest in theory, nevertheless the one that survives secondary bagging, case packing and pallet compression without forcing replacements, double-bagging or contaminated returns.

Can I Reuse Plastic Bags for Food?

I’m in reality pretty split on this issue. On one hand, they’re pretty expensive, particularly if you use a lot of them, like we transport out. So, of course I want to reuse Ziploc bags to save a small additional cash. On the other hand, the view of reusing plastic bags for food kind of eeks me out to be honest. I mean, these are the plastic bags that we’re storing food in. The risk of pollution and bacteria laden plastic bags is very proper. After all, they’re designed to be disposable for a reason.

Research & Resources

There is plenty more detailed information about packaging available online, including details of the manufacturing process and a list of the huge variety of plastic packaging available. To find out more, please visit:

Plastic Bags
Find specialist packaging websites containing lots of helpful information on this free online directory specialising in polythene packaging, where you can post your own product listings for free.
www.plasticbags.uk.com

Packaging Knowledge
In-depth news and information resource specialising in plastic packaging. Find out facts and read detailed articles on a variety of packaging products.
www.packagingknowledge.com

Goldstork
"Best of the web" directory containing useful hand-picked information and interesting and unusual websites specialising in polythene packaging.
www.goldstork.com

The eco-effects of packaging

Food manufacturers and supermarkets are often criticised for the amount of packaging that food is sold in. Critics claim that in a day and age when we are trying to be greener we should be trying to use less packaging, but often forgotten amongst the criticism are the reasons why packaging is used on food in the first place.

Packaging helps food stay fresh for longer and it helps protect it during transportation. We live in a world where people expect the same choice of food on the supermarket shelves 365 days of the year. Of course this means that food often has to be shipped long distances, for which good quality packaging is essential.

What’s more, even with current levels of packaging, the UK already produces 7.2 million tonnes of food waste every year, compared to 4.9 million tonnes of packaging (Waste & Resources Action Programme, 2012). If fresh food wasn’t packaged well, it would go off even sooner and more of it would be wasted, so perhaps we should focus on reducing the amount of food we waste and not on the amount of packaging on our food.

Of course, the greenest solution would be for everyone to live off their own land, to grow their own food and hunt their own meat, but we all know that this is not going to happen.

The next best solution, and one that is more attainable if people have the necessary will, is to buy more local food and more seasonal food. Both of these actions would reduce food miles as well as the amount of packaging required for the food, which would mean less of a carbon footprint from transporting the food.

Reducing the amount of packaging we use for our food is important, but it currently serves a very useful purpose in a society where having a choice of food is seen by many as a right and not a luxury.