A visual celebration of the shopping bags produced by British record stores between the 1940s and the 1990s. Fully illustrated with over 500 examples of this previously unrecorded aspect of popular culture.

This unique book tells the graphic history of the British record shop through a huge and inspiring collection of original and exceptionally rare carrier bags. From large chains to hidden basements, with a cast of famous staff and eccentric owners, these paper and plastic bags bring the visceral history of music shopping to life.

With a foreword by Jon Savage.

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Jonny Trunk and FUEL present A-Z of Record Shop Bags – a publication celebrating the humble record store bag.

This exhaustive collection of the record shop bag provides a unique perspective of record shopping in the UK over the last century, bringing together over 500 incredible bags (some possibly the only surviving examples) to document the fascinating story of British high street record shopping. Bags from famous chains such as NEMS, Our Price and Virgin (the amazingly rare Roger Dean bags), sit alongside designs from local shops run by eccentric enthusiasts. Packed with stories such as the first Jewish ska retailer, the record sellers who started the premier league, famous staff (David Bowie, Dusty Springfield, Morrissey, etc.) and equally infamous owners, these anecdotes of mythical vinyl entrepreneurs will entertain and delight.

With vinyl record sales at their highest ever for decades (outselling CDs in the US), this publication acts as an amazing insight into the history, culture and visual language of record collecting. Following Own Label, Wrappers Delight and Auto Erotica – A-Z of Record Shop Bags: 1940s to 1990s is the next book in the series by Jonny Trunk and FUEL, examining overlooked aspects of our collective past.

Wrappers Delight catalogues the amazing lifetime collection of John Townsend, a man who collected the most disposable of wrappers: sweet cigarette boxes, wax gum papers, empty bags of crisps, drink cans, rock labels, stamps, transfers, coupons, recipe cards, tickets, odd boxes, badges, cards, stickers … and more.

 A nostalgia trip through the sweet wrappers of our childhood that also serves as a cultural and historical document. Presented in alphabetical order by manufacturer, this publication containing over 500 full colour examples, is the first and only overview of the drinks and confectionery industry during this period.

With a foreword written by Jarvis Cocker.

In 1962, when Peter Dixon joined the Sainsbury’s Design Studio, a remarkable revolution in packaging design began. The supermarket was developing its distinctive range of Own Label products, and Dixon’s designs for the line were revolutionary: simple, stripped down, creative, and completely different from what had gone before. Their striking modernity pushed the boundaries, reflecting a period full of optimism. They also helped build Sainsbury’s into a brand giant, the first real ‘super’ market of the time. This book examines and celebrates this paradigm shift that redefined packaging design, and led to the creation of some of the most original packaging ever seen.

Produced in collaboration with the Sainsbury family and The Sainsbury Archive, the book reveals an astonishing and exhaustive body of work. A unique insight into what and how we ate, the packaging is presented using both scanned original flat packets and photographic records made at the time. With an essay by Emily King featuring interviews with Peter Dixon and Lord Sainsbury of Preston Candover.