Paptic® bags available in Kesko-stores across Finland – celebrating 40 years of Pirkka

Paptic and Kesko are taking the next step in their collaboration as ScanStar 2026 Award-Winning foldable and reusable Paptic® bags are introduced to Kesko-stores across Finland. Following a successful consumer pilot, the innovative fibre-based bags are now available in all 85 K-Citymarkets as well as many K-Supermarkets and K-Markets. The new bag also celebrates the 40th anniversary of the iconic Pirkka brand with a special anniversary design.

The launch brings a Finnish packaging innovation to consumers on a nationwide scale. Made from Paptic® material, the bag combines the recyclability of a paper bag and the pleasant feel and convenience of a textile bag. Designed for repeated use, the Paptic® bag is strong, soft to the touch and easy to fold and carry along for the next shopping trip. One bag can be used for dozens of shopping trips, making reuse an easy part of everyday life.

From a successful pilot to wider availability

The nationwide introduction follows a Paptic® bag pilot conducted in selected K-Supermarkets in 2024. Consumer feedback during the pilot was highly positive, with shoppers particularly appreciating the bag’s quality, durability, pleasant feel and overall user experience.

Its reusability was another key benefit: the bag can be folded into a compact size and conveniently carried along for repeated use.

The response from retailers was equally encouraging. K-Supermarket retailers reported that consumer interest increased as customers gained experience with the bag. During the pilot, the Paptic® bag even developed its own loyal user base.

“Paptic® bags sparked interest among our customers. Many told us they were surprised by how well the bag withstands use, how pleasant the material feels and how easy the bag is to fold. Our customers appreciate that we can offer them an alternative to plastic bags without compromising usability,” says Jouni Ekholm, retailer at K-Supermarket Mustapekka in Helsinki.

Finnish innovation meets an iconic Finnish brand

The new Paptic® bag has been designed to celebrate the 40-year journey of Pirkka, one of Finland’s best-known private-label brands. Its distinctive anniversary design features illustrations of Pirkka product packaging from years past.

For Paptic, the wider rollout is an exciting example of how innovative materials can become part of consumers’ everyday routines. By combining functionality, durability and recyclability, the collaboration demonstrates that alternatives to conventional packaging materials can also deliver an excellent user experience.

The new Pirkka anniversary Paptic® bags are available in all 85 K-Citymarkets in Finland and in many K-Supermarkets and K-Markets.

See the Pirkka bag made of  Paptic® material in action

Designed to be used again and again, the Pirkka bag made of  Paptic® combines strength with everyday convenience. See how the bag performs in our durability test, and how easily it folds into a compact size, ready for your next shopping trip.

Fold, carry, reuse – See how easy it is to fold the bag and keep it handy for your next shopping trip.