At their peak in 2008, promotional bags produced 12.4% of distributor sales. Over the last decade, though, the category has slipped. In 2018, bags brought in only 7.8% of promo revenues.

“Bag sales are declining because retail sales are declining overall,” says Tracey Cohen, president of Target Print & Mail (asi/379133). “Amazon doesn’t need bags.”

According to Michele Houston, president at Benefit Marketing (asi/137279), “inexpensive single-use plastic bags are no longer popular. Clients don’t want their brand to be associated with waste. We steer them toward a more sustainable material that can be used many times over.”

Houston reports her bag sales are trending up, suggesting that if distributors concentrate on a pitch of sustainability, they could experience similar results as plastic bag bans have become more prevalent. Local ordinances in states like California, Hawaii, Massachusetts and Washington are driving more people to grab a cloth bag, or even a reusable tote.

“The plastic bag bans have really stimulated our business as it’s raised awareness of personal habits in relation to the environment,” Houston says. “People are looking for more eco-friendly solutions.”

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