700292iBFL - Demonstrating the market feasibility of a digital Intelligent Bag For LifeClosedGRD Proof of MarketInnovate UKA Bag for Life (BFL), is a shopping bag which can be reused several times. An alternative of single-use paper or plastic carrier bags, it is often made from Jute, Cotton, Juco or Hessian. If ethically produced, BFL presented a significant opportunity for positive impact on the planet. However, of the 380billion retail plastic bags used per year in the USA, just 2.5% (9.7billion) have been replaced by a BFL– arguably because they were not fit for purpose. The BFL simply duplicated the load carrying function of a plastic bag, and relied on social moral drivers to bring about global environmental change. But BFL did not offer users additional functionality or ‘wow’ factors, and failed to seize the opportunity to address ergonomic and associated long term health issues that result from carrying unbalanced shopping bags (plastic or otherwise) with extended arms. As a result the BFL has become a disposable product with a limited lifespan. This project seeks to demonstrate the market feasibility of a digital Intelligent BFL (iBFL) that addresses known limitations and creates a market pull - led by the digital generations of today and tomorrow. BFL have several limitations. Medical Mycologists report BFL lead to food poisoning, and increased risk of food borne illness (up to 50% contain coliform, and 12% E. coli) because BFL cannot be easily washed. Further, Ergonomists and Physiotherapists warn that their use can injure the neck, back, and shoulders, because they distort the natural curve of the spine (leading to more serious injuries such as herniated discs, accelerated degeneration of the cervical spine, and less commonly, traction injury of the brachial plexus (causing numbness over the shoulder and arm). Treatment for these injuries costs approx 0.2% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the EU. Functionally, consumers complain that BFL offer just one storage compartment, forcing fragile, fresh and heavy items, in addition to hot and frozen products, to reside together.