Review: Tesco Bag for Life

If you want a cheap alternative to the throwaway supermarket carrier, Tesco's Bag for Life is a sensible - if rather uninspiring design-wise - option.

Each heavy duty bag costs just 10p (what can you buy for 10p these days?) and whenever it wears out (in my book this usually means the handle breaks or it develops a split in the side big enough for a piece of fruit to fescape) you can get it replaced free of charge. (Presumably the "retired" bags are recycled: if you work in Tesco do let me know.)

Tesco claims that its Bags for Life pays for itself in environmental terms once used five times; mine usually last for at least a couple of years, so you can imagine how many disposable bags you're saving in that time. Plus, Tesco now offers a "green" Clubcard point for every reusable bag you put your shopping in - their goal is to cut the number of bags they dole  out by a quarter over the next two years.

They're big enough for some weighty shopping and much more robust than the free bags the supermarket gives out: and of course you don't have to restrict your use to Tesco. They also fold down small and are wipe-clean if you spill something inside. One of the only downsides is the rather naff designs that adorn the vast majority of the bags - there are two designs each season and they're almost all terribly twee. I don't mind lugging food back from the shops in these but you might feel less keen to carry one to work with your lunch in it, perhaps. Also, it probably won't you quite as long as a sturdy cotton bag, which can also be left to break down naturally on the compost heap once past its best.

The Old Bag Project rating for Tesco Bags for Life:

Verdict: Cheap, cheerful but not very chic

Read more about The Old Bag Project, plus previous reviews.

Comments

[Lucy]

Hi Jane,
It's good to be green: Sainsbury's are getting the bag bug too and it's one you can carry withour feeling like the veritable bag lady.
It's designed by the British handbag designer, Anya Hindmarch, is made of natural coloured cotton and has chunky rope handles - sorry I haven't a photo.
The bag is available in Sainsbury's stores from April and lots of people will probably sport them (even if the shopping inside it is Tesco's) because, apart from the ecologically aware, at last the fashionista's can bear to be seen to be green too.
Lucy
http://www.lucyannwrites.blogspot.com

[David L]

Waitrose bags for life have much better designs. Nice pictures of food and food related items. I heartily recommend. Waitrose are also miles ahead of the pack (amongst the major supermarkets anyway) in respect of sourcing from local producers and identifying their suppliers.

P.S. Despite my raving and my e-mail address I do not work for them. They just provide a good e-mail service too! I also approve of the John Lewis set up as a whole. Some might call it old fashioned but I think it is a good way to run a business. Everyone benefits.

[Jamie]

Why do you even bother mentioning whether the product is chic or not. We are meant to be raising awarness and curbing waste and carbon footprints.