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Data

Grocery bag comparisons for greenhouse gas emissions

About this data

Source
Danish Environmental Protection Agency (2018) – processed by Our World in Data
Last updated
January 1, 2018
Date range
2018–2018

Sources and processing

This data is based on the following sources

Danish Environmental Protection Agency – LCA of grocery carrier bags

The Danish Environmental Protection Agency conducted full life-cycle analysis (LCA) of environmental impacts of a range of grocery bag types. LCAs measure the total environmental impacts (such as greenhouse gas emissions) of a product across their full value chain (including inputs needed for their production).

This was quantified for greenhouse gas emissions, as well as a comparison of "all environmental indicators" which was a combined value for greenhouse gas emissions, ozone depletion, human toxicity (cancer effects), human toxicity (non-cancer effects), photochemical ozone formation, ionizing radiation, particulate matter, terrestrial acidification, terrestrial eutrophication, marine eutrophication, ecosystem toxicity, resource depletion (fossil), resource depletion (abiotic), and water resource depletion.

Values are given relative to a standard LDPE (Low-density polyethylene) single-use plastic bag, with values indicating the number of reuses a given bag would need to result in an equal environment impact. For example, a value of 5 would indicate a bag would have to be reused 5 times in order to have as low an environmental impact as the LDPE bag.

Retrieved on
January 1, 2018
Retrieved from
https://www2.mst.dk/Udgiv/publications/2018/02/978-87-93614-73-4.pdf
Citation
This is the citation of the original data obtained from the source, prior to any processing or adaptation by Our World in Data. To cite data downloaded from this page, please use the suggested citation given in Reuse This Work below.
The Danish Environmental Protection Agency (2018). LCA of grocery carrier bags.

The Danish Environmental Protection Agency conducted full life-cycle analysis (LCA) of environmental impacts of a range of grocery bag types. LCAs measure the total environmental impacts (such as greenhouse gas emissions) of a product across their full value chain (including inputs needed for their production).

This was quantified for greenhouse gas emissions, as well as a comparison of "all environmental indicators" which was a combined value for greenhouse gas emissions, ozone depletion, human toxicity (cancer effects), human toxicity (non-cancer effects), photochemical ozone formation, ionizing radiation, particulate matter, terrestrial acidification, terrestrial eutrophication, marine eutrophication, ecosystem toxicity, resource depletion (fossil), resource depletion (abiotic), and water resource depletion.

Values are given relative to a standard LDPE (Low-density polyethylene) single-use plastic bag, with values indicating the number of reuses a given bag would need to result in an equal environment impact. For example, a value of 5 would indicate a bag would have to be reused 5 times in order to have as low an environmental impact as the LDPE bag.

Retrieved on
January 1, 2018
Retrieved from
https://www2.mst.dk/Udgiv/publications/2018/02/978-87-93614-73-4.pdf
Citation
This is the citation of the original data obtained from the source, prior to any processing or adaptation by Our World in Data. To cite data downloaded from this page, please use the suggested citation given in Reuse This Work below.
The Danish Environmental Protection Agency (2018). LCA of grocery carrier bags.

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Citations

How to cite this page

To cite this page overall, including any descriptions, FAQs or explanations of the data authored by Our World in Data, please use the following citation:

“Data Page: Grocery bag comparisons for greenhouse gas emissions”. Our World in Data (2026). Data adapted from Danish Environmental Protection Agency. Retrieved from https://archive.ourworldindata.org/20260511-092124/grapher/grocery-bag-comparisons-ghg.html [online resource] (archived on May 11, 2026).

How to cite this data

In-line citationIf you have limited space (e.g. in data visualizations), you can use this abbreviated in-line citation:

Danish Environmental Protection Agency (2018) – processed by Our World in Data

Full citation

Danish Environmental Protection Agency (2018) – processed by Our World in Data. “Grocery bag comparisons for greenhouse gas emissions” [dataset]. Danish Environmental Protection Agency, “LCA of grocery carrier bags” [original data]. Retrieved May 11, 2026 from https://archive.ourworldindata.org/20260511-092124/grapher/grocery-bag-comparisons-ghg.html (archived on May 11, 2026).

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