Anya Hindmarch’s Universal Bag Is Back
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1 week ago
The British designer is bringing her cult shopping bag to Whole Foods Market this summer
Four years after they sprung into supermarkets, Anya Hindmarch’s Universal Bags are back – and this time, they’re heading to Whole Foods Market. Here’s everything you need to know about the new release (and where to shop it).
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Anya Hindmarch’s Universal Bag Is Coming To Whole Foods Market
Anya Hindmarch has long been committed to helping her community reduce its environmental impact. In 2007, the British designer launched the I’m Not A Plastic Bag campaign, with the goal to raise awareness of the worldwide single-use plastic bag predicament. Fourteen years later, she revived the project by launching the Universal Bag – a line of reusable shopping bags created in collaboration with Solent and UK supermarkets.
But it seems the problem still persists. Despite the UK government introducing new legislation in 2015 – which led to sales of single-use plastic bags falling by 95 percent between 2015 and 2020 – an eye-watering 437 million single-use plastic bags were sold between April 2024 and April 2025 (up seven percent from the year prior).
And so, the Universal Bag is back. Returning to Whole Foods Market this summer, the bag will first make an appearance in the retailer’s flagship on the King’s Road in Chelsea, before heading to six more stores in the UK. (The bag initially rolled out in 2024, and quickly sold out in stores.)
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‘The Universal Bag project has saved over 330 tonnes of virgin plastic from landfill since launch in 2021,’ said the designer. ‘Plastic pollution remains a pressing issue but working together with major global food retailers shows how the solution needs to be collaborative.’
What Makes The Universal Bag Better Than Plastic?
Designed by Anya Hindmarch and manufactured by the Solent Group, the Universal Bag is made from 100 percent recycled plastic – with each step and material fully certified under the Global Recycling Scheme (GRS). This is a reusable bag that is guaranteed to last up to 10 years – and if it doesn’t quite live to see a full decade, or you simply wish to recycle the bag, you can return it for a free replacement. (The built-in pocket acts as a pre-addressed envelope which you can pop through any letter box, so that it can be delivered to the correct address and recycled locally.)
The bag also features an extremely durable structure (perfect for lugging around cartons of milk and tins of beans), as well as a stylish design that elevates the typical shopping bag. After all, who doesn’t want to look good while browsing the aisles for produce?
‘Sustainability and innovation go hand in hand, and our partnership with Anya is a perfect example of that,’ Tracey Dobkins, CEO of the Solent Group, said of the collaboration. ‘The Universal Bag is more than just a reusable bag – it’s a thoughtfully designed solution that redefines style, convenience, and sustainability. With exceptional durability, it truly is a bag for life. We’re proud to be an industry first with the convenient free-post returns pouch, ensuring it can be fully recycled if its lifecycle does come to an end. This collaboration isn’t just about a product; it’s about reshaping behaviours and encouraging better choices. Having worked with some fantastic global grocers on this project so far, we’re delighted to lead in design innovation and look forward to seeing the Universal Bag make a lasting impact.’
What’s The Difference Between The Universal Bags?
The Universal Bag has popped up in multiple UK supermarkets over the years – including Sainsbury’s, Waitrose, Selfridges Food Halls, Tesco, Morrisons, Asda, Co-op and now Whole Foods Market. The design, a reusable bag with a striped handle, is the same structurally but comes in each retailer’s signature colour scheme
- Sainsbury’s: Burgundy with red and white straps
- Waitrose: Dark green with yellow, green and white straps
- Selfridges Food Halls: Yellow with black and white straps
- Tesco: Navy with blue, red and white straps
- Morrisons: Mustard with green and white straps
- Asda: Light green with green and white straps
- Co-op: Blue with blue, navy and white straps
- Whole Foods Market: Caramel with green, brown and white straps
When & Where Can You Get The Universal Bag?
The latest edition of the Universal Bag is now available exclusively in the Whole Foods Market store on the King’s Road, and will roll out to six other UK locations from Monday 18 August 2025. The bags retail for £12.99 each.
Will There Be More Bags?
The Universal Bag continues to be an ongoing project for Anya Hindmarch, so we anticipate there will be more collaborations and releases in the future. anyahindmarch.com
