All posts by Bulletin Bag

Bulletin Bag Reusable Grocery Bags Routinely Tested for Lead Safety

Bulletin Bag Products

bulletinbagthunderRecently, some high-profile chains reported the existence of varying levels of lead in some of their reusable grocery bags, and some pulled their reusable shopping bags off the shelves because high levels of lead were detected in the ink used to imprint the bags or the reusable bags themselves. At about the same time, Senator Charles Schumer sent a letter (see below) to the Food and Drug Administration, urging the agency to investigate the issue.

Bulletin Bag [.com] works hard to earn our clients’ trust. Our ability to deliver high-quality reusable bags to you is enabled in part by the long-standing relationships we have with our factories. These factories monitor production and regularly test our bags to ensure compliance with the CPSC and CPSIA regarding lead levels.  Despite what you might have heard over the last few days, not all reusable bags contain lead, and you can rest assured that the reusable bags you purchase from Bulletin Bag [.com] will comply with all CPSC and CPSIA guidelines for safety.

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Reusable Grocery Bags Get Their Day in the USA

Green Issues, Promotion Ideas, , ,

31251They’re doing it in Europe. They’re doing it in Asia (Reusable Bag Day). And, they’re doing it in America.

The 13th Annual America Recycles Day is on November 15. This is the only nationally recognized day dedicated to encouraging people to recycle and buy recycled products. Last year, America Recycles Day featured 750 registered organizations conducting 2,375 events!

Why is this day so important? The amount of energy saved from recycling aluminum and steel cans, plastic PET and glass containers, newsprint and corrugated packaging in 2008 alone was equivalent to:

* The amount of electricity consumed by 17.8 million Americans in one year
* The amount of gasoline used in almost 11 million passenger automobiles in one year
* 7.9 percent of electricity generation from fossil fuels in the U.S. in one year

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Ready? Set? Bag Those Reusable Shopping Bags!

Green Issues

reusable_grocery_bagger_championshipsNow’s the time of year that grocery stores all over the country are digging deep to find its state’s best grocery bagger to represent it at the U.S. Best Bagger National Championship, held in February each year. State champs rise from huge chains and family-owned stores in every corner of the United States.

The proper bagging of groceries is an important part of the operation of a successful retail grocery business, and front-end employees have a major effect on how well a retailer serves the customer. This national competition is the culmination of contests all across the country.

The 2010 Best Bagger National Championship was markedly different: the event switched from paper and plastic to reusable grocery bags. This change was due to the popularity of reusable bags around the country.

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Turn Your Winter Green with Printed Reusable Bags

Promotion Ideas, Reusable Bag Tips,

It’s a great time to start planning for winter fundraisers, promotions and holiday gifting. Here are some ideas on how to use custom printed reusable grocery bags to green Mother Earth through the New Year. earth-day

Jumpstart retail sales by having customized reusable bags for sale (or free with purchase) in your store. Shoppers can use them to carry holiday gifts, and you can create an incentive to shop in your store with a reusable bag promotion. Try offering a percentage off when customers bring in your reusable bag, or offer a free reusable bag custom printed with your logo for a sale over a certain dollar amount.

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Best-selling Reusable Bags On Sale Through End of Year

Bulletin Bag Products, Promotion Ideas, , , , ,

If you’re reading this, you probably already know that reusable bags are popping up everywhere as an eco-friendly marketing vehicle. What better way to increase awareness of your organization than to put your branding on reusable grocery bags for everyone to see…over and over and over again?

So, if you’ve been on the fence about purchasing custom printed reusable grocery bags, we have the perfect opportunity for you: our two most popular reusable bags, the Big Thunder and Little Thunder, are on sale for the remainder of 2010! Made from durable, 100 GSM polypropylene, they feature wrap-around handles and roomy gussets (with bottom inserts for extra stability), and come in nine popular colors.

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Reusable Bag Day Signals Reusable Bags Are Here To Stay

Green Issues, Plastic Bag Bans,

maui2The Department of Environment and Natural Resources in the Philippines has proclaimed every Wednesday as “Reusable Bag Day”. The move is meant to encourage the public to return to basics, to move away from their wasteful habits and help prevent environmental problems.

The announcement comes on the heels of a government-signed agreement with the Earthday Network Philippines and 12 supermarket chains to help reduce the use of plastic bags in the country. As part of Reusable Bag Day, no free plastic bags will be given to customers. Also expressing an interest in joining the government’s efforts are plastics manufacturers in that country.

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Plastic Bag Reduction Strategies Are Working

Green Issues, Plastic Bag Bans

Supermarket chain efforts to reduce paper and plastic bag distribution are working—and the numbers are starting to speak for themselves.

Publix Super Markets estimates a daily paper and plastic bag reduction of more than one million per day since it launched its reusable bag initiatives in 2007. Recently, the chain announced the number of bags it’s saved since mid 2007 has surpassed the 1 billion mark!

The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection and the Massachusetts Food Association has announced a 25 percent reduction in the number of disposable paper and plastic shopping bags used since 2007 at 12 supermarket chains, including 384 stores. This is well on the way to the goal of a reduction of at least 33 percent by 2013.

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Maine’s Efforts to Reduce Plastic Bag Use

Green Issues,

Ban On Plastic Grocery Bags Gaining MomentumSome states are considering (or have enacted) bans on plastic bags, but in Maine, environmentalists and retailers are working together to encourage the use of reusable bags—voluntarily.

The Natural Resources Council of Maine is participating in a voluntary effort by retailers to encourage Mainers to use reusable bags instead of carrying home their groceries in throw away plastic bags. Also on board for the voluntary effort instead of an outright ban or tax is the Maine State Chamber of Commerce.  A plastic bag ban was under consideration in committee, as were taxes or fees on the throw away bags, but lawmakers chose a voluntary effort, and a hard goal of reducing plastic bag use by at least a third by 2013.

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Reusable Bags Are Tops at Trade Shows!

Bulletin Bag Products, Promotion Ideas, ,

According to a recent study by Nexus Collections, reusable bags are the most effective way to promote your brand at a conference or event. Twenty-three percent of respondents selected conference bags as the promotional item that created the biggest exposure.

bag presser005Longevity may have a lot to do with it: by investing in reusable bags as tradeshow giveaways, you gain loads of exposure at the event—not to mention the residual effect by the bags’ reuse after the conference is over. Your logo or message on a custom printed reusable bag is akin to a walking billboard, providing impressions every time it’s used.

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Don’t Panic…Just Clean Your Reusable Grocery Bags

Green Issues, Reusable Bag Tips

A recent study funded by the American Chemistry Council found that nearly every reusable bag examined for bacteria contained bugs, coliform bacteria (suggesting raw-meat or uncooked-food contamination) or E. coli. However, the study didn’t specify which strains of E. coli were found—many of which are harmless. And don’t forget that the American Chemistry Council represents plastic bag makers, and opposes a California Bill that would ban single-use plastic bags.reusable_bagWhat is slightly more annoying (dare we say misleading?) about this study, and the buzz surrounding it, is that if you conduct a similar study of kitchens, refrigerators, sponges, or dish towels, we’re sure you’d find equally alarming results. Plus, with the abundance of over-packaged grocery store items, what are the chances that these germs are actually going come in contact with your food or your family? Regardless of the study’s motives, it does stress an important reminder: clean your reusable grocery bags regularly.

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