Second Paper Bag Day

After a successful start in 2018, the European Paper Bag Day will enter its second round on 18 October 2019 with many different activities and events throughout Europe. The annual day of action was launched by „The Paper Bag“ platform, an association of Europe's leading manufacturers of kraft paper and paper carrier bags, with the aim of recognising paper carrier bags as sustainable and functional packaging that is a reliable shopping companion and contributes to the fight against climate change. Everyone is welcome to take part in the activities and discussions.

„In light of the sustainable and circular approach of the EU's bioeconomic strategy, we would like to encourage consumers to take the environment into account when making their personal packaging choices,“ explains Kennert Johansson, Executive Secretary General of CEPI Eurokraft. „With the European Paper Bag Day, we want to raise awareness of the benefits of paper carrier bags as sustainable packaging that contributes to the fight against littering and pollution.“

Paper carrier bags are made from wood, a natural and constantly renewable raw material. In Europe, it comes from sustainably managed forests. Thanks to continuous reforestation the forest area in Europe has grown by 17.5 million hectares over the past 25 years. This corresponds to an area almost half the size of Italy. Sustainable forest management preserves biodiversity and ecosystems and creates habitats for wildlife, recreational areas and jobs. In addition Trees as carbon sinks and therefore make an effective contribution to Mitigating climate change.

The advantages at a glance

In an infographic, „The Paper Bag“ summarises the Key facts about paper carrier bags together.

„In a world faced with changes such as globalisation, climate change and the scarcity of raw materials, it is of the utmost importance that consumers make informed decisions,“ emphasises Kennert Johansson. „The infographic contains relevant arguments that should be considered.“

In addition to the environmental benefits, consumers can also look forward to a Strong packaging that leave a Weight up to 12 kg carries. Whether clothing, cosmetics, decorative items, food or electronic devices, paper carrier bags are reusable and recyclable. If for some reason they do end up in nature, they are recycled. Degraded within 2 to 5 months, without harming the environment.

„Paper carrier bags are in line with a modern and sustainable lifestyle for consumers,“ explains Kennert Johansson. „With our activities around the European Paper Bag Day, we want to motivate more people to do so, take more environmental responsibility when choosing their packaging, by using, reusing and recycling paper carrier bags. Through our kick-off activities in 2018, we succeeded in inspiring many people, including teachers, to get involved with their own ideas and activities.”

Successful start to 2018

A brief review of last year's event gives an impression of the wide range of activities organised to mark the first European Paper Bag Day. For example, the Company Zellstoff Pöls/Starkraft in Austria Mondi involved the local population and supplied businesses in the Pöls area with free paper carrier bags for 1.5 years. Mondi produced a video featuring an oversized paper carrier bag, which was the centrepiece of a social media campaign. In France joined Gascony Paper partnered a charity event and provided free bags for the organisers and participants.

In Russia, the Segezha Group worked together with a retail chain for children's toys. Over 40,000 free paper carrier bags were distributed. In Sweden, the company Bong Retail Solutions invited the public to an open day and a tour of its production facilities.

Activities 2019

The members of „The Paper Bag“ will around 18 Octoberm is organising many different activities across Europe and on various social media channels: In Spain, members of the platform „La bolsa de papel“ visit the Minister of the Environment to raise awareness of the benefits of paper carrier bags. In Italy, the „Gruppo Shopping Bags“ publishes a social media video to inform consumers about the benefits of paper carrier bags. Reusability and recyclability of paper carrier bags to inform.

In Ponte San Nicolò, Italy, Sacchettificio Nazionale G. Corazza invites the families of its employees and the town's residents to an open day with guided tours of its paper sack production facility. The company is also organising a flash mob and presenting the Schools Paper bags for waste collection available. To raise awareness of sustainable forestry as a key element of the paper carrier bag value chain, Mondi donates seedlings in reusable paper carrier bags and carries out reforestation activities together with its employees and the inhabitants of the local communities of its paper mills in Poland, Sweden, Austria, Bulgaria and the Czech Republic. The Segezha Group distributed free paper carrier bags during the exhibition „The Golden Turtle International Wildlife Art & Photography“, which took place in Moscow from 6 September to 2 October.

How you can take part

All communication activities relating to the campaign day will be organised via the social media channels of „The Paper Bag“ under the Hashtag #EuropeanPaperBagDay announced: on the Facebook fan page „Performance powered by nature“ and in the LinkedIn profiles of EUROSAC and CEPI Eurokraft. Consumers are invited to take part in the discussions using the hashtag or to participate with their own activities.

The Paper Bag

The platform „The Paper Bag“ was founded in 2017 by the leading European manufacturers of kraft paper and paper carrier bags. They are committed to Advantages of packaging made from paperr to publicise the paper bag. „The Paper Bag“ is managed by the CEPI Eurokraft and EUROSAC organisations.

Source: The Paper Bag