The Independent's journalism is supported by our readers. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn commission.
This £925 bag from Balenciaga’s Spring 2022 collection looks just like vintage Tesco carrier bag
The luxury design house previously released a tote that was similar to the iconic Ikea shopper bag
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Supermarket chic appears to be the order of the day, as Balenciaga’s new shopper bag bears a striking similarity to the old Tesco carrier bags of yore.
The brand’s Monday Shopper Bag, from its Spring 2022 Clones Collection, is a white calfskin bag that features vertical blue stripes and the Balenciaga name in a red label.
The look is reminiscent of plastic carrier bags that Tesco used to give to customers in the 1980s.
The supermarket has since changed the design of its carrier bags, but encourages customers to choose its more sustainable bags for life.
While Tesco still sells its carrier bags, which are now made from recycled plastic waste, in its stores for 20p per bag, Balenciaga’s version will set shoppers back by £925.
The luxury fashion house, a favourite among celebrities including Rihanna and Kim Kardashian, described the bag as a “modern interpretation of archetypal bag” on its website.
It also comes in a red and yellow colourway. The Monday Shopper Bag includes silver hardware, snap closures, an inner zip pocket and inner patch pocket.
Balenciaga has previously released a tote bag that was mocked for appearing to be a high-end copy of Ikea’s iconic blue bag in 2017.
The designer version was described as having “blue, wrinkled, glazed leather” and feature two short handles and two long ones, in the exact same fashion as Ikea’s Frakta bags, and were priced at £1,600.
In contrast, the Swedish furniture design company’s bags are 100 per pent polypropylene and cost just 75p.
Ikea took a light-hearted approach to the apparent copycat, releasing an advertisement to help customers identify an original Ikea Frakta bag.
Its advice included shaking the bag, because “if it rustles, it’s the real deal” and checking the price tag to ensure it cost under a dollar.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments