Asda and Co-op partner with Anya Hindmarch to launch Universal Bags

Asda and Co-op have partnered with Anya Hindmarch to launch the two latest versions of the Universal Bag.

The fashion designer has collaborated with food retailers globally to create a new campaign designed to further inspire change in consumer behaviour, with a new shopping bag solution to tackle plastic waste.

The Universal Bag which is reusable, durable, 100% recycled and recyclable will see Asda’s version rolling out in its brand colour, green across 300 stores nationwide from the end of this month.

Co-op’s design will be available from 315 stores nationwide from the end of March in its signature colour, blue.

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Designed by Anya Hindmarch and maufactured by Solent Group, the bag retails for £10 and comes with a 10 year guarantee, with customers able to recycle the bag by folding it into its free returns pocket for a replacement.

“We’re thrilled to partner with Anya Hindmarch on the Universal Bag project and support such an important issue,” Asda acting chief customer officer, Sam Dickson said.

“The opportunity to create our own exclusive version meant we were able to give our customers a great quality, sustainable product, in our trademark ‘Asda green’. I’m sure shoppers will be very excited at the prospect of picking up an Anya Hindmarch bag in store during their weekly shop and we can’t wait to see the response.”

“Co-op champions a better way of doing business and sustainability is front and centre of the decisions we make,” added Co-op chief membership and customer officer Kenyatte Nelson.

“In 2021, we made the bold and right move to ban plastic ‘bags for life’ from sale in our convenience stores offering our shoppers compositable bags and durable, re-usable alternatives. Our collaboration with Anya Hindmarch and the Universal Bag project is another way in which we can engage and incentivise our members and customers to encourage them to shop more sustainably.”

This upcoming collaboration follows on from ongoing editions with Big 4 grocer Sainsbury’s and upmarket retailer Waitrose, with more global partnerships set to be announced later this year.

Anya Hindmarch, founder and creative director added: “Since launching the Universal Bag, we have saved over 97 tonnes of virgin plastic from landfill, the equivalent weight of over 8 London double decker buses.

“The problem of single use plastic is far from solved. Working together with major global food retailers shows how the solution needs to be collaborative and that together we can make a big difference.”