DTPS: Idea Generation Activity

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Beyond the Bag Challenge

Assessing the design opportunities to replace
today’s single-use plastic retail bag
For decades, the single-use plastic bag reigned as the dominant design
solution for one of the most common human activities: getting a purchase
home. But that popularity comes at a great cost; almost all plastic bags end
up in a landfill, are incinerated, or leak into the environment as trash.
Together, let’s explore how we got to where we are today and what’s next?
PROBLEM / POV STATEMENT

In what way/ How might we

transport goods from retailer to
destination in a way that is
compatible with diverse retail
systems, delivers ease and
convenience for customers, and
reduces environmental impact?
Background
For decades, the single-use plastic bag reigned as the dominant design solution for

getting a purchase home. But that popularity comes at a great cost. It’s estimated

that we use 100 billion single-use plastic bags per year in the U.S. alone and less than

10 percent of these are recycled. While the convenience of the plastic retail bag can’t be

disputed, the negative impact – considering its short use (12 minutes, on average) and

long lifespan (400+ years by some estimates) – have led to rising consumer concern,

advocacy campaigns, and regulatory bans and fees.

The two main challenges with today’s bags stem from raw material usage and material

recovery after-use. Today, the majority of single-use plastic bags are made from low-

cost, fossil fuel-derived virgin plastic. They are not compostable and although technically

recyclable in a separated waste stream with other flexible film plastics, bags generally

wind up in the landfill, in the natural environment, or in the wrong recycling stream.

Additionally, many customers are unsure of the most sustainable choice, as alternatives

made from paper or reusable bags made from thicker plastic (usually polyethylene),

cotton, woven polypropylene, polyester, or bioplastic often have a higher environmental

footprint.

Change is coming. The retail experience is rapidly evolving with new technologies and

consumer preferences–many consumers are now shopping online, and interacting with

autonomous systems—all of which open up opportunities for design innovation. The

world needs alternatives to meet this change, and many in the retail industry have been

working toward a more sustainable bag for years. Ultimately, however, no current retail
bag option truly solves for delivering convenience to customers while delivering on

expectations for sustainability.

The Beyond the Bag Initiative, launched by the Consortium to Reinvent the Retail Bag,

is calling on Innovators, suppliers, designers, and problem-solvers to join our Beyond

the Bag Challenge and reinvent the timeless experience of getting goods home.

To begin, participants are encouraged to read our retail bag report, “A New Way

Home” to learn more about the problem today, how we got here, and what opportunities

for design interventions exist tomorrow.

The Bag Problem Today

The two main challenges with today’s bags stem from raw material usage and
material recovery after-use. Today, the majority of single-use plastic bags are made
from low-cost, fossil fuel-derived virgin plastic. They are not compostable and
although technically recyclable, very few complete the journey to a recycling
facility.

The Five Most Common Bags Used Today

While single-use retail plastic bags are the industry standard, consumers are
increasingly trying to make eco-friendly bag choices. But today’s alternatives
carry their own set of drawbacks. From production through end of life, no product
presently existing at scale offers a tenable, long-term solution.

.
A Shifting Retail Reality
The context of retail bags is changing on every level. Consumer and regulatory
reactions against single-use plastic bags aren’t surprising. Consumers want
something better and regulation in this arena is rapidly evolving, with diverse
forms of government taxes, fees, or outright bans on single-use plastic bags across
the globe. Change is coming, opening up opportunities for design.

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