Celebrate International Plastic Bag Free Day - July 3rd

How can your organisation get involved in International Plastic Bag Free Day? Celebrated worldwide to bring awareness to the harmful effects of plastic pollution on our planet.

[Updated 23rd March 2026]

As the world becomes increasingly environmentally conscious, businesses are actively sourcing products that will reduce their carbon footprint. One way to do this is to reduce the amount of single-use plastic your business consumes.

On July 3rd, people worldwide participate in International Plastic Bag Free Day. The goal is to raise awareness of the problems caused by plastic bags and to eliminate their use.

The UK already levies a plastic bag charge in-store and has made huge strides in reducing single-use carrier bag use, but there is still work to do!

• The average person in the UK uses approximately 200 plastic bags per year
• The average supermarket bag is used for just 12 minutes
• Only 3% of plastic bags are recycled
  

(Stats come from a variety of sources, including the Environmental Agency and WRAP).

How to Leverage Reusable Bags to Promote Plastic Bag Free Day

• Give away free reusable bags to customers in-store, at trade and consumer events, or as part of a social media campaign.
• Consumers can also get involved by pledging to use reusable bags on Plastic Bag Free Day. Encourage recipients to share photos of themselves using your branded reusable bags on social media.
• Don't forget to use relevant social media hashtags like #InternationalPlasticBagFreeDay on all your related posts and content. This will help your business to connect and network with potential customers and influencers.
• Plastic Day Free Day promotions are organised by a wide range of organisations including retailers, councils, charities, FMCGs, sustainable brands and more.

If your organisation is looking to reduce single-use plastic consumption and raise awareness, consider participating in International Plastic Bag Free Day. It's a great way to help the environment and reduce your carbon footprint.

Get more ideas for Raising Brand Awareness

Create a Custom Reusable Bag for Your Business or Organisation

Get involved by creating branded reusable bags printed with awareness messages, your brand logo and website address. Not only will your business be raising awareness for the cause, but an eye-catching bag is a great way to attract some extra attention to your brand.

Go Greener - Choose Recycled or Biodegradable Materials

Waste is reduced further in the production process when reusable shopping bags are made from recycled materials. The recycled material is created from recycled plastic bottles or used rice sacks, saving all that rubbish from going into landfills.

Recycled reusable bags are a great choice for sustainable campaigns that will appeal to eco-friendly consumers and help to protect our planet. We stock two types of recycled fabric:

1. rPET Bags - made from 100% recycled bottles

2. 70% Recycled Laminated Woven Bags - heavy-duty Bags for Life made from 70% recycled old rice sacks.

3. Non-Woven PP - our standard NWPP is not made from recycled materials, but it is 100% recyclable after use.

4. Biodegradable PLA: Leave Zero Waste with these biodegradable carrier bags.