Sainsbury’s and Waitrose are set to launch a “new generation” shopping bag by Anya Hindmarch.
The Universal Bag project will allow each participating retailer to customise their own edition of the bag in the style of their brand.
It follows the “I am not a plastic bag” campaign launched by Anya Hindmarch in 2007 in partnership with Antidote and social activism movement Shift.
The movement sparked massive media coverage which contributed to the government decision to cut down on plastic single bag usage throughout the UK.
Plastic bag sales have since fallen by 95 per cent between 2015 and 2020.
Sainsbury’s is scheduled to launch its version of the Universal Bag on December 2 for £10 across 334 stores nationwide.
Waitrose will be launching its own bag on January 26, 2022, for £10 across 90 of its UK stores.
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According to representatives, the bag is guaranteed to last for 10 years and is created from 100 per cent recycled plastic which has been certified under the Global Recycling Scheme (GRS).
Anya Hindmarch and its production partner Solent have announced they will be sharing their research and discoveries from the project with all international retailers upon request.
The partners said they aim to “advance progress” in the reuse and sustainability of shopping bags across the world.
If a customer wants to recycle the bag, it reportedly turns inside-out into a freepost returns pouch which acts as a pre-addressed envelope, which can then be posted through a letter box.
Sainsbury’s confirmed the bag will be recycled 100 per cent locally.
“Fourteen years after we first partnered with Anya Hindmarch on the ‘I Am Not A Plastic Bag’, we’re delighted to join forces with her again on a new initiative, The Universal Bag,” Sainsbury’s chief marketing officer Mark Given said.
“Reducing plastic and tackling the climate crisis can’t be solved in isolation, it requires collaboration and we’re proud to represent that message and inspire change as part of Anya’s new campaign.”
Anya Hindmarch added: “The Universal Bag is designed to offer an alternative solution that saves plastic from landfill, is simple to recycle 100 per cent, is guaranteed for 10 years and is hopefully special enough to inspire people to use it.
“By collaborating on this project supermarkets are showing their continued commitment to reducing the amount of plastic on our planet.”
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