As you probably are already aware, Hello Kitty is definitely one very busy cat! In some of our past posts, we’ve seen her being baked into golden brown treats, or collaborating with Sadako from the “Ring” series. This time, Ms. Kitty will help make your shopping experience at the supermarket more environment-friendly and hassle free (on top of adding an element of cute, of course), with the new “Hello Kitty Premium Basket Cooler Tote Bag“.

The Cooler Tote Bag, developed in collaboration by mail-order company RyuRyu (operated by Belluna Co. Ltd.) and Sanrio, is designed to fit inside any supermarket shopping basket so that you don’t have to go through the process of moving all your purchases into a paper or plastic bag after you finish going through the cashier. (In Japan, you usually have to repack all the items you purchased from the basket (or cart) into a bag yourself. ) What’s more, the inside of the bag is insulated with aluminum based material, so it serves as a cooler while you’re carrying everything home. With the warm summer weather coming up ahead, the cooling insulation is sure to be a welcome function when buying fresh produce.

The bag is 50cm (19.7 in) x 56cm (22 in) x (8.7 in) (h x w x d) in size, and the standard design comes in black and pink. The bag is actually being sold as part of a special edition mail-order catalog and will be sold at convenience stores and bookstores around Japan for 1,470 yen ($18.38) starting June 20th. In addition to the standard design, there will also be bags in select designs and colors sold at particular convenience stores. The bag is also available on-line through amazon Japan.

This is actually the second collaborative product produced by RyuRyu and Sanrio. In November last year, they released a Hello Kitty baby bag, which sold so well that they ended up increasing production and selling the product at more stores nation-wide than originally planned. I’m sure they’re hoping this second bag will sell just as well, and I don’t see any reason why not!

So, once again, the adorable Ms. Kitty adds a bit of welcome (and practical) fun to our lives. Another job well done, Ms. Kitty.

Source: Official Belluna Press Release (Japanese) via msn beauty style (Japanese)

▼The Hello Kitty Premium Basket Cooler Tote Bag

▼Front View

▼Back View

▼The bag is insulated inside to function as a cooler.

▼Enjoy your shopping!