FprEN 13590
(Main)Packaging - Flexible carrier bags for the transport of various retail goods - General characteristics and test methods for the determination of volume and carrying capacity
General Information
- Abstract
This document specifies general characteristics and test methods for determination of volume and carrying capacity of flexible carrier bags with handles for transport of various unspecified retail goods.
This document is applicable to:
- carrier bags made of paper, thermoplastic material and/or any other flexible material;
- carrier bags with any shape and dimension;
- carrier bags with or without gussets.
- Status
- Not Published
- Publication Date
- 20-Jan-2027
- Technical Committee
- CEN/TC 261 - Packaging
- Current Stage
- 4599 - Dispatch of FV draft to CMC - Finalization for Vote
- Start Date
- 31-Jul-2026
- Due Date
- 23-Feb-2026
- Completion Date
- 31-Jul-2026
Overview
FprEN 13590 is a European standard developed by CEN that specifies the general characteristics and test methods for determining the volume and carrying capacity of flexible carrier bags with handles. Designed for the transport of various retail goods, this standard applies to carrier bags made from paper, thermoplastic materials, or any other flexible material, irrespective of shape, dimension, or the presence of gussets. The scope covers bags with or without gussets and is relevant for both plain and specialty retail bags.
The standard outlines a consistent approach for measuring key parameters and ensures that products conform to essential quality benchmarks, supporting fair competition and promoting consumer safety and reliability in packaging.
Key Topics
- Applicable Materials: Includes paper, thermoplastic, and other flexible materials used for carrier bags.
- Bag Variations: Applies to bags of any shape or size, with or without gussets.
- General Characteristics: Defines essential terms such as gusset, ply, handle, and bag dimensions.
- Volume Determination: Provides standardized methods for calculating the volume of bags with varying shapes, ensuring accurate and comparable results.
- Carrying Capacity Testing: Offers procedures for measuring the maximum weight the bag can safely carry using specific conditioning and test equipment.
- Sampling and Conditioning: Stipulates requirements for sample size (minimum 100 bags per type) and pre-test conditions (temperature and humidity based on EN ISO 2233).
- Marking Requirements: Specifies the information to be displayed on the bag post-testing, such as reference to the standard, supplier data, year of testing, measured carrying capacity, and volume.
- Test Reporting: Details what information must be included in official test reports for traceability.
Applications
This standard is vital for manufacturers, suppliers, and retailers across Europe who produce or use flexible carrier bags in their packaging operations. Key applications include:
- Retail Packaging: Ensures that bags used for customer purchases are tested for volume and weight limits, reducing the risk of failure during transportation.
- Supplier and Buyer Agreements: Provides a uniform basis for specifying requirements in procurement contracts, covering parameters such as material, dimensions, volume, and carrying capacity.
- Quality Assurance: Supports the implementation of quality control systems that can consistently verify bag performance.
- Product Development: Assists designers and engineers in developing new bag products that meet standardized performance criteria.
- Regulatory Compliance: Facilitates compliance with European Union health and safety directives concerning manual handling limits (e.g., recommended maximum weight of 15 kg).
Related Standards
Organizations applying FprEN 13590 may also reference the following related international standards:
- EN ISO 2233: Packaging - Conditioning for testing of complete, filled transport packages.
- EN ISO 8367-1: Packaging - Dimensional tolerances for paper sacks.
- EN ISO 8367-2: Packaging - Dimensional tolerances for sacks made from thermoplastic flexible film.
- ISO 6590-1: Packaging vocabulary specific to paper sacks.
By adhering to FprEN 13590 and its supporting standards, the packaging industry ensures consistency, safety, and efficiency in the production and use of flexible carrier bags for retail applications.
Relations
- Effective Date
- 15-May-2024
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Frequently Asked Questions
FprEN 13590 is a draft published by the European Committee for Standardization (CEN). Its full title is "Packaging - Flexible carrier bags for the transport of various retail goods - General characteristics and test methods for the determination of volume and carrying capacity". This standard covers: This document specifies general characteristics and test methods for determination of volume and carrying capacity of flexible carrier bags with handles for transport of various unspecified retail goods. This document is applicable to: - carrier bags made of paper, thermoplastic material and/or any other flexible material; - carrier bags with any shape and dimension; - carrier bags with or without gussets.
This document specifies general characteristics and test methods for determination of volume and carrying capacity of flexible carrier bags with handles for transport of various unspecified retail goods. This document is applicable to: - carrier bags made of paper, thermoplastic material and/or any other flexible material; - carrier bags with any shape and dimension; - carrier bags with or without gussets.
FprEN 13590 is classified under the following ICS (International Classification for Standards) categories: 55.080 - Sacks. Bags. The ICS classification helps identify the subject area and facilitates finding related standards.
FprEN 13590 has the following relationships with other standards: It is inter standard links to EN 13590:2003. Understanding these relationships helps ensure you are using the most current and applicable version of the standard.
FprEN 13590 is available in PDF format for immediate download after purchase. The document can be added to your cart and obtained through the secure checkout process. Digital delivery ensures instant access to the complete standard document.
Standards Content (Sample)
SLOVENSKI STANDARD
01-januar-2026
Embalaža - Prožne vreče za nošenje različnega drobnega blaga - Splošne
značilnosti in preskusne metode za ugotavljanje prostornine in nosilnosti
Packaging - Flexible carrier bags for the transport of various retail goods - General
characteristics and test methods for the determination of volume and carrying capacity
Verpackung - Tragetaschen für den Transport verschiedener Einzelhandelsgüter -
Allgemeine Eigenschaften und Prüfverfahren für die Bestimmung des Volumens und der
Tragekapazität
Emballage - Sacs en matériau souple pour le transport de marchandises de détail
variées - Caractéristiques générales et méthodes d'essai pour la détermination du
volume et de la capacité de transport
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: prEN 13590
ICS:
55.080 Vreče. Vrečke Sacks. Bags
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.
DRAFT
EUROPEAN STANDARD
prEN 13590
NORME EUROPÉENNE
EUROPÄISCHE NORM
November 2025
ICS 55.080 Will supersede EN 13590:2003
English Version
Packaging - Flexible carrier bags for the transport of
various retail goods - General characteristics and test
methods for the determination of volume and carrying
capacity
Emballage - Sacs en matériau souple pour le transport Verpackung - Tragetaschen für den Transport
de marchandises de détail variées - Caractéristiques verschiedener Einzelhandelsgüter - Allgemeine
générales et méthodes d'essai pour la détermination Eigenschaften und Prüfverfahren für die Bestimmung
du volume et de la capacité de transport des Volumens und der Tragekapazität
This draft European Standard is submitted to CEN members for enquiry. It has been drawn up by the Technical Committee
CEN/TC 261.
If this draft becomes a European Standard, CEN members are bound to comply with the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations
which stipulate the conditions for giving this European Standard the status of a national standard without any alteration.
This draft European Standard was established by CEN in three official versions (English, French, German). A version in any other
language made by translation under the responsibility of a CEN member into its own language and notified to the CEN-CENELEC
Management Centre has the same status as the official versions.
CEN members are the national standards bodies of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia,
Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway,
Poland, Portugal, Republic of North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye and
United Kingdom.
Recipients of this draft are invited to submit, with their comments, notification of any relevant patent rights of which they are
aware and to provide supporting documentation.
Warning : This document is not a European Standard. It is distributed for review and comments. It is subject to change without
notice and shall not be referred to as a European Standard.
EUROPEAN COMMITTEE FOR STANDARDIZATION
COMITÉ EUROPÉEN DE NORMALISATION
EUROPÄISCHES KOMITEE FÜR NORMUNG
CEN-CENELEC Management Centre: Rue de la Science 23, B-1040 Brussels
© 2025 CEN All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved Ref. No. prEN 13590:2025 E
worldwide for CEN national Members.
prEN 13590:2025 (E)
Contents Page
1 Scope . 4
2 Normative references . 4
3 Terms and definitions . 4
4 Determination of volume and initial carrying weight . 5
4.1 General. 5
4.2 Material . 5
4.3 Determination of volume . 5
4.3.1 General. 5
4.3.2 Volume for a carrier bag according to shape A . 6
4.3.3 Volume for a carrier bag according to shape B . 6
4.3.4 Volume for a carrier bag according to shape C . 7
4.4 Determination of initial test weight . 7
4.4.1 General. 7
4.4.2 Calculation of initial test weight . 7
4.4.3 Initial test weight by agreement . 7
5 Principles . 8
5.1 Sampling . 8
5.2 Conditioning . 8
5.3 Filling material for testing the carrying capacity . 8
5.4 Equipment . 8
6 Testing procedure for carrying capacity . 12
6.1 Determination of the maximum carrying weight . 12
6.2 Determination of the elongation of the flexible bag . 13
7 Test report . 13
8 Marking . 14
Annex A (normative) Filling material . 15
Annex B (informative) Parameters to be considered when ordering carrier bags . 16
prEN 13590:2025 (E)
European foreword
This document (prEN 13590:2025) has been prepared by Technical Committee CEN/TC 261 “Packaging”,
the secretariat of which is held by AFNOR.
This document is currently submitted to the CEN Enquiry.
This document will supersede EN 13590:2003.
prEN 13590:2025 includes the following significant technical changes with respect to EN 13590:2003:
— the document has been revised according to the latest updated version of the principles and rules of
the Internal Regulations Part 3;
— the document has been restructured to shape two new clauses on the determination of volume and
initial carrying weight and principles, respectively;
— EN ISO 6590-1, has been listed as a normative reference in Clause 2;
— the term and definition for the total length of bag has been added to Clause 3;
— Figure 1 has been expanded to include an additional example of a carrier bag in Clause 4;
— the determination of the elongation of the flexible bag has been added to the testing procedure for
carrying capacity;
— the name and address of responsible supplier is deleted from the list of information included in the
test report;
— the elongation of the handle in percent is added to the list of information included in the test report;
— the year and month or week of manufacture has been deleted from the information included in the
marking;
— the year of testing has been added to the list of the information included in the marking;
— Annex B on Parameters to be considered when ordering carrier bag has been added to the document.
prEN 13590:2025 (E)
1 Scope
This document specifies general characteristics and test methods for determination of volume and
carrying capacity of flexible carrier bags with handles for transport of various unspecified retail goods.
This document is applicable to:
— carrier bags made of paper, thermoplastic material and/or any other flexible material;
— carrier bags with any shape and dimension;
— carrier bags with or without gussets.
2 Normative references
The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their content
constitutes requirements of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For
undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
EN ISO 2233, Packaging — Complete, filled transport packages and unit loads — Conditioning for testing
(ISO 2233)
EN ISO 8367-1, Packaging — Dimensional tolerances for general purpose sacks — Part 1: Paper sacks
(ISO 8367-1)
EN ISO 8367-2, Packaging — Dimensional tolerances for general purpose sacks — Part 2: Sacks made from
thermoplastic flexible film (ISO 8367-2)
ISO 6590-1, Packaging — Vocabulary — Part 1: Paper sacks
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the terms and definitions given in EN ISO 6590-1 and the following
apply.
ISO and IEC maintain terminology databases for use in standardization at the following addresses:
— ISO Online browsing platform: available at https://www.iso.org/obp
— IEC Electropedia: available at https://www.electropedia.org/
3.1
gusset
fold inserted in the longitudinal edge of a tube or bag
3.2
base gusset
fold inserted in the bottom of the bag
3.3
tube
one or more plies in the form of a flattened cylinder cut into prescribed lengths
3.4
ply
film or sheet of flexible material, or combination of such materials, forming the walls of a bag
prEN 13590:2025 (E)
3.5
handle
device forming part of the bag allowing the insertion of hands for the easy carrying of a load
3.6
length of bag up to handle
overall length from bottom to the start of the handle, perpendicular to the bottom
3.7
width of bag
distance between the longitudinal edges of the flat bag, gusset not included, parallel to the bottom
3.8
width of bottom
distance between the two bottom edge folds or the external creases of the base gusset, measured at the
centre, parallel to the bag's length
3.9
length of handle
overall length from the top to the maximum possible filling height of the bag
3.10
width of gusset
distance between the external creases of the unfolded gusset
3.11
width of handle
minimal width of a handle measured on the flat bag
3.12
total length of bag
overall length from bottom to the top, including the handle, perpendicular to the bottom
4 Determination of volume and initial carrying weight
4.1 General
The testing procedure always starts by determining the volum
...