Carton with integrated handle assembly

A method of carrying a carton, the carton including a main body establishing an enclosure with an interior cavity for storing a plurality of products, with the enclosure being formed from a plurality of interconnected panels, the plurality of interconnected panels including a plurality of side panels and first and second end panels which collectively form the main body, and having an access flap hingedly connected to the main body and enabling access to the interior cavity, with the access flap including a first portion formed from part of one of the plurality of interconnected panels and a second portion formed from part of a separate one of the plurality of interconnected panels, such that the access flap is formed from and extends across portions of at least two of the plurality of interconnected panels, wherein the second portion of the access flap is hingedly connected to another part of the separate one of the plurality of interconnected panels and the first portion has a free end portion that is remote from where the second portion of the access flap is hingedly connected, with perforations formed in the at least two of the plurality of interconnected panels and extending about all but one section of the access flap and the access flap being selectively pivotable between an opened position wherein the access flap is positioned to expose an enlarged access opening through which the plurality of products stored in the carton can be accessed and a closed position wherein the access flap extends across the enlarged access opening, said carton further including a handle assembly enabling a user to retain the access flap in a closed position with one hand, the handle assembly being established, at least in part, by first and second openings, with the first opening being formed in the free end portion of the access flap and the second opening being formed in the main body adjacent the access flap, said first and second openings being spaced by a distance enabling the carton to be grasped through the handle assembly with one hand for carrying the carton while retaining the access flap in the closed position, said method comprising:

• grasping the carton with the access flap in the closed position by inserting at least one finger of a hand of the user into the first opening formed in the free end portion of the access flap, remote from where the access flap is pivotable, and at least one other finger of the hand of the user in the second opening formed in the main body adjacent the access flap in order to carry the carton while retaining the access flap in the closed position with the hand of the user.