Essential Reading for the Food Service Industry: Practical Solutions for Selecting Packaging Paper Bags for Food Packaging

As the “plastic restriction policy” is implemented in depth, the food service industry, as a major user of single-use plastic packaging, is facing significant pressure to transition toward plastic reduction. From takeout containers to carry-out bags, the phasing out of traditional plastic products is forcing businesses to seek environmentally friendly alternatives. Packaging paper bags, with their advantages of being biodegradable, customizable, and cost-effective, have emerged as the preferred choice for plastic reduction in Food Packaging. Guangdong Guowei Guanli New Materials Co., Ltd. has been dedicated to the field of paper-based alternatives to plastic for 17 years. The paper bag solutions tailored for the food service industry have helped over a hundred brands achieve environmental compliance and cost balance. Below are four practical solutions for selecting packaging paper bags for food packaging.

Solution 1: Customize paper bag functions by food category to address scenario pain points

Different food categories have significantly different functional requirements for packaging. The customized design of paper bags can precisely match specific scenarios. For fried foods like chicken and fries, Guangdong Guowei Guanli uses an oil-resistant lamination process, applying a food-grade PE film to the inner layer of kraft paper. This maintains the breathability of the paper bag to prevent food from becoming soggy while preventing oil leakage. The cost per bag is only 0.05 yuan higher than that of ordinary paper bags. After a certain fried chicken chain brand adopted this solution, complaints about oil stains in takeout packaging decreased by 75%, and customer satisfaction ratings increased by 18%.

 

For hot foods like hot pot and noodle soup, the solution focuses on high-temperature resistance and anti-scald design. Customized packaging paper bags use thickened kraft paper with cotton rope reinforcements at the handles, capable of withstanding 80°C heat for 30 minutes to prevent burns when customers retrieve their meals. A hot pot takeout brand reported that after switching to this solution, packaging-related customer complaints decreased by 90%, and the repurchase rate increased by 10%. For light meals like desserts and beverages, packaging paper bags with transparent windows allow customers to see the product's appearance directly. Combined with brand logo printing, they become a mobile marketing tool. A milk tea brand saw an increase of over 2,000 “paper bag check-in” social media posts per month.

 

Solution Two: Optimize structural design to reduce overall packaging costs

The food and beverage industry is highly sensitive to packaging costs. Packaging paper bags can achieve “environmental sustainability without increasing costs” through structural optimization. Guangdong Guowei Guanli Innovation's “one-piece molding” process integrates the paper bag body and partition layer into a single molded component, eliminating the need for additional plastic containers to separate dishes. This reduces the packaging cost per takeout order by 0.3 yuan. A Chinese fast-food brand adopting this solution saves an average of 2,000 yuan in packaging costs daily, with annual cost reductions exceeding 700,000 yuan.  

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Additionally, the stackable design of paper bags enhances delivery efficiency. Compared to traditional plastic bags, stacked paper bags increase vehicle loading capacity by 30%, boosting the number of deliveries per trip and indirectly reducing logistics costs. Data from a food delivery platform shows that after collaborating restaurants adopted standardized packaging paper bags, delivery riders saw an average daily increase of 5 orders per rider, with delivery costs decreasing by 8%. Furthermore, the price volatility of kraft paper raw materials is lower than that of plastic, ensuring more stable long-term procurement. For a chain restaurant, the annual fluctuation in packaging costs decreased from 15% to 5%.  

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Solution Three: Incorporate Brand Elements to Enhance Packaging Marketing Value

In a highly competitive market, packaging paper bags can serve as a breakthrough for brand differentiation. Guangdong Guowei Guanli supports full-color printing and special processes, helping restaurant brands transform paper bags into marketing tools. A popular tea brand customized packaging paper bags with fun quizzes and discount QR codes printed on the side. Consumers could scan the code to participate in the interaction and receive discount coupons, with a redemption rate of 35% and a 22% increase in repeat purchases. 

 

 

For chain brands, a unified design for packaging paper bags can strengthen brand recognition. A certain hamburger chain enhanced its green brand image by using paper bags with a unified visual design across all its stores nationwide, combined with an environmental protection campaign promoting “a reduction of 15g of carbon emissions for every paper bag used.” This resulted in a 40% increase in consumer brand association. Guangdong Guowei Guanli's “small batch, multiple batches” flexible production service can also meet the packaging needs of food and beverage brands for holiday-limited editions and new product promotions, with a minimum order quantity as low as 5,000 units, enabling flexible implementation of marketing activities.

 

Solution 4: Compliance certification support to mitigate policy risks

The core of plastic reduction in the food and beverage industry is meeting policy compliance requirements. The environmental attributes of packaging paper bags must be backed by authoritative certifications. Guangdong Guowei Guanli's Food Packaging Paper Bags have obtained FDA and LFGB certifications for food contact materials, and their biodegradability meets the GB/T 38082 standard, fully decomposing within six months in natural environments.

 

For restaurant brands operating across provinces, the solution also includes “regional policy adaptation” services. For example, in first-tier cities with stricter requirements, compostable-certified paper bags are provided; in third- and fourth-tier cities, basic kraft paper bags are recommended to balance costs and compliance. A fast-food brand achieved standardized packaging across all its stores nationwide, reducing policy adaptation costs by 60%. Additionally, a comprehensive carbon emissions calculation report can help catering companies apply for environmental subsidies. A certain brand has received over 100,000 yuan in annual green rewards from local governments through this.

 

Plastic reduction in the catering industry is not an option but a necessity. Packaging paper bags serve as an environmentally friendly alternative to food packaging, meeting policy requirements while creating value for businesses through functional optimization, cost control, and marketing empowerment. Guangdong Guowei Guanli New Materials Co., Ltd., with its extensive experience in food packaging, offers a full range of sustainable Packaging Solutions—from brown paper bags to custom paper bags—to help food brands seize the initiative in their plastic reduction transformation.