Bagboard has signed up more then 2,000 London-based retailers ahead of its launch in April 2019, including Nisa, Londis and Costcutter.

Founded by Benjamin Ayres in 2016, Bagboard distributes paper bags featuring advertising to independent retailers, and are free to consumers, heavyweight and eco-friendly, negating the need for a single-use plastic bag.

After receiving a bag, consumers are encouraged to download Bagboard’s app, which recognises the advertising on the bags. Each time consumers interact with the designated brand on the bag through the app, they accumulate rewards. A portion of all reward currency will be donated to a number of social and environmental causes.

The ad platform aims to distribute three million branded bags to their network of independent retailers in London between April and July 2019.

"Bagboard provides an exchange that enables brands to open conversations with consumers in a non-intrusive, organic way,” said Benjamin Ayres, co-founder and CEO at Bagboard. "It’s the greenest platform for brands to communicate with consumers, which is compelling in such environmentally-aware times. It also gives brands access to timed and targeted campaigns that physically go to places current advertising platforms can’t."

Charlie Ayres, co-founder and COO at Bagboard, added: "More than 615 million devices worldwide now utilise ad-blocking. It’s time brands got smart about getting their message out there. Bags are a relatively untapped medium in OOH, and Bagboard gives consumers the chance to engage with advertising when they choose, standing to gain something and contributing to a better world along the way.

"Once brands get involved with this, it’s going to be the bridge between digital and OOH, without having to compromise on either front."