Fifteen months on from the 5p ‘Bag Tax’, almost three-quarters of the UK’s shoppers say they would pay a premium for an antimicrobial ‘bag for life’, of the type newly launched by Morrison's (pictured above) according to an independent survey.

Since the charge was introduced in October 2015, two thirds of people (65%) no longer buy single-use carrier bags when doing their shopping at the supermarkets, but they are putting their health at risk by re-using their old bags to carry more items than just food.

Amongst the most unusual things people admit putting in their shopping bag include a baby seagull, soiled nappies, tropical fish, the contents from a vacuum cleaner and ‘something illegal’.

The consumer survey shows that nearly three quarters (73%) never clean their reusable shopping bag after using it to carry food, and a third of us don’t bother sanitising our hands after shopping.

Many people are unaware that re-usable bags can be a refuge for all kinds of bacteria. Campylobacter, the biggest cause of food poisoning in the UK, can last for up to 8 weeks on the lining of a reusable shopping bag. Around half of people surveyed have never heard of Campylobacter.

9 out of 10 people do not know that you can buy a high street ‘Bag for Life’ containing technology that will reduce the risk of cross-contamination from harmful bacteria, but 93% of shoppers said they would consider using one, and 71% said they would be happy to pay more for one.

In summary, the key findings are:

• 65% of shoppers no longer buy single use bags when shopping at the supermarket. Only 23% buy one or two bags when visiting the supermarket.
• 51% reuse a shopping bag more than 11 times. The average number of times is eight.
• 34% would never think of sanitising their hands after shopping.
• Nearly three quarters (73%) do not clean their reusable shopping bag after using it.
• Nearly two thirds of people (65%) do not use separate bags for different food items. However for those that did use different bags it was for meat and frozen goods.
• Over three quarters (77%) of people surveyed use reusable shopping bags for more than just a food shop.
• The top four things people use reusable shopping bags for are rubbish (39%), shoes (38%), toiletries (38%) and packed lunch (34%).
• Half of people would never reuse a bag that had previously carried fresh beef, fresh chicken, pre-cooked meat, fresh lamb or fresh pork.
• 42% of people said they would reuse a bag that carried pre-cooked meat. Across the board around a third of people would reuse a bag that had carried fresh meat (34%).
• Over half of people surveyed (52%) did not know what Campylobacter is and 48% have never heard it mentioned.
• 93% of people would use or consider using a bag with antimicrobial properties, and 71% said they would be happy to more for one.
• Nearly three quarters (71%) would pay or consider paying for an antimicrobial bag.

When asked, “what’s the most unusual item you’ve put in a reusable shopping bag", among the answers were:

• The stuffed head of a fox
• A dead rabbit
• Soiled cat litter
• Prosthetic limbs
• A jar of tadpoles
• A turtle
• Dirty wellies
• Guinea pig bedding
• A bingo machine
• False teeth
• A sick pet
• A bong
• Garden weeds
• Road-kill
• Feet (the bag is used is an over-shoe in a muddy field)

Morrison's antibacterial PP woven bags are manufactured by solentgroup.co.uk. The survey was conducted by OnePoll and commissioned by Addmaster (UK) Ltd.

Supermarket giant Asda has launched a range of Biomaster protected own label cling film, kitchen foil and greaseproof baking paper.

The dispenser carton outers contain inbuilt antibacterial technology designed to inhibit the growth of harmful microbes.

The dispensers provide a “clean to touch” surface helping prevent cross-contamination of bacteria from hand to carton and from carton back to hand.

The new products are manufactured by CeDo Limited, Europe’s largest producer of own label and branded household disposables. The company's cling film and food wraps are widely used in the catering industry to cover sandwiches and foods to be refrigerated or sealed to keep food fresh.

Every year in the UK there are around 450,000 cases of food poisoning. Many of these are linked to cross-contamination from outer packaging which has come into contact with Campylobacter, which is commonly found in raw meat and chicken.

Addmaster Marketing Manager adds: “Biomaster provides an effective first line of defence to reduce the threat of cross-contamination on just about any surface or contact point.

“Asda’s initiative provides extra user confidence and offers measurable protection for everyone in a kitchen environment.”

Addmaster’s antibacterial ‘bag for life’ has been named Best New Product category by Britain’s leading food hygiene experts.

The award was made by a panel of experienced food industry professionals chosen from the membership of The Society of Food Hygiene and Technology.

SOFHT is an independent consortium of food industry specialists set up to keep the industry advised of the current hygiene and technology issues and best practice across the entire food chain.

The award was announced at the industry’s prestigious 37th SOFHT Luncheon held on 17 November 2016 at The Savoy in London.

The 5p plastic bag tax introduced in October 2015 has resulted in a surge in the use of reusable shopping bags. It is a concern for consumers because while re-using old grocery bags is good for the environment, they are a potentially powerful breeding ground for harmful bacteria. Independent tests show that bacteria can survive in an ordinary reusable shopping bag for anything up to eight weeks.

The award-winning ‘bag for life’ contains inbuilt Biomaster technology proven to inhibit the growth of dangerous bacteria and help prevent cross-contamination during the weekly shopping trip.

The bag is currently sold by a major UK high street retailer and is also available from Amazon.com.

This is the second award that the antibacterial ‘Bag for Life’ has won this year. In April the product was awarded 'Best New Idea' at Foodex 2016, the UK's premier trade event for the food and drink processing, packaging, ingredients and logistics industries.

Paul Morris, CEO and Founder of Addmaster (UK) Ltd. says: "We have been campaigning hard and for a long time to make the public aware they can protect themselves from food borne pathogens.

The bag for life was a first step to highlight that packaging such as raw chicken can have dangerous levels of bacteria on the outside and so can transfer from shopping trips in unprotected bags.

Food hygiene across the whole supply chain, particularly within the retail and logistics sector, including home delivery is a real hot topic at the moment. Washing delivery crates and separating food items of risk properly is a key ste,p but adding in permanent antibacterial protection with Biomaster gives the added protection the consumer requires and deserves.

Winning this award for the Biomaster Bag for Life is a great achievement for the Addmaster team and goes a long way to demonstrating the social benefits that retailers can provide by adopting innovative packaging technology.”

By Paul Gander, 05-Oct-2016

http://www.foodmanufacture.co.uk/Packaging/Food-packaging-antimicrobial-growth-led-by-clean-label

CeDo Limited, Europe’s largest producer of own label and branded household disposables, has launched an exclusive range of cling film, foil and bakery parchment dispenser cartons protected with Biomaster antibacterial technology.

CeDo develop household products used by millions across the continent. The company's cling film and food wraps are widely used in the catering industry to cover sandwiches and foods to be refrigerated or sealed to keep food fresh.

In collaboration with Addmaster, the company had developed a cleaner dispenser carton protected with an antimicrobial protective coating to help prevent the spread of bacteria within a food preparation environment.

The active ingredient in the carton outer is Biomaster technology which inhibits the growth of harmful microbes. It provides a “clean to touch” surface helping prevent cross contamination of bacteria from hand to carton and from carton back to hand.

Each year in the UK there are around 450,000 cases of food poisoning, many caused by handling raw meat and chicken. Campylobacter, which accounts for about 80% of all foodborne illnesses, can also contaminate outer packaging and is a common source of cross-contamination.

The new CeDo display packs are also printed with a QR code, so that anyone with a smartphone reader can access a 20 second animated film explaining the benefits of Biomaster antibacterial technology.

The first stores to stock the new packs are are a leading cash-and-carry food and drink wholesaler selling to around half a million customers in the UK from independent convenience stores, grocers, leisure outlets, pubs and restaurants.

Addmaster Marketing Manager adds: “This is the first application of antimicrobial technology in the market application of cling film, foil and bakery parchment products. It provides user confidence and measurable protection for everyone in a professional and domestic kitchen environment.

It is another example of how Biomaster can work with the food industry help prevent contamination from bacteria from preparation, processing and packing through to distribution.”