IKEA to phase out single-use plastic from its home furnishing range and customer and co-worker restaurants by 2020
As part of IKEA's global commitment to people and the planet, the company will eliminate all single-use plastic products from its home furnishing range globally by January 1, 2020. This includes straws, plates, cups, freezer bags, garbage bags and plastic-coated paper plates and cups.
IKEA Group will also phase out single-use plastic items offered in customer and co-worker restaurants, bistros, and cafes, including straws, cups, cutlery, plates and beverage stirrers. These changes will also take effect by the end of 2019 across its 29 retail markets, including all IKEA Canada locations.
"IKEA's commitment to a prosperous and sustainable future is stronger than ever," says Brendan Seale, Head of Sustainability for IKEA Canada. "Removing single-use plastics from our stores and customer and co-worker restaurants is an important step to help our customers and our company contribute to a world without waste."
Single-use plastic items pollute ecosystems such as oceans and waterways, and harm wildlife if not disposed of responsibly. This is a complex problem with no single solution. To drastically reduce plastic pollution, policymakers, businesses and consumers, must all work together to contribute to the change. IKEA is determined to play a part and take responsibility in the areas where it can make a difference.
IKEA is on a journey to become circular in all aspects: from product development, sourcing materials, developing the supply chain, and logistics, to how and where it meets its customers. As part of this commitment, IKEA is finding new and innovative ways to work with renewable and recycled materials and prolonging the life of products and materials.
Revealed at Democratic Design days in Älmhult, Sweden, this announcement is consistent with IKEA's direction to become a circular business, and one of a range of commitments announced as part of the launch of the new IKEA People and Planet Positive strategy. Additional commitments include:
-Designing all new products from the very beginning to be repurposed, repaired, reused, resold, and recycled, generating as little waste as possible - using circular design principles;
- Aiming for all IKEA products and packing materials to be based on renewable and/or recycled materials by 2030;
- Phasing out virgin fossil plastic from products by 2030;
-Offering services that make it easier for people to bring home, care for and pass on products;
"Our ambition is to become people and planet positive by 2030 while growing the IKEA business," says Inter IKEA Group CEO, Torbjörn Lööf. "Through our size and reach we have the opportunity to inspire and enable more than one billion people to live better lives, within the limits of the planet."
The IKEA People & Planet Positive strategy sets the direction for IKEA and covers three focus areas: Healthy & Sustainable living, Circular & Climate Positive, and Fair and Equal. Visit: ikea.ca/peopleplanet.
