Ikea has pledged to remove all single-use plastic straws from its product range and restaurants by the start of October this year.
The move, which will see Ikea no longer offer nor sell single-use plastic straws, forms part of the furniture retail giant’s global commitment to remove all single-use plastic products from its range and restaurants globally by 2020.
This action is part of Ikea’s updated People and Planet Positive sustainability strategy, which sets the sustainability agenda and ambitions for the Ikea franchise system and value chain globally by 2030.
READ MORE:
“The world is changing at a rapid rate and bold, urgent actions are required to meet the sustainability challenges we are facing,” Ikea UK & Ireland country sustainability manager Hege Sæbjørnsen said.
“Plastic pollution is one critical issue to urgently address for a more sustainable future and is something our customers and co-workers are actively passionate about.
“By responding and acting quickly to remove single-use plastic straws, we hope to fuel the energy behind this movement and empower people to see the hundreds of other small actions we can all take in our daily lives to have a positive impact on the precious world around us.”
To reduce the environmental impact of single-use plastic, Ikea is already offers products that are made from more sustainable materials and supports a journey towards zero waste lifestyles.
These include re-sealable plastic bags made from bioplastic, jars made from recycled glass, kitchen fronts made from recycled PET bottles and wood, as well as spray bottles and desk pads made from recycled plastic packaging.
Ikea added that 98 per cent of its product packaging is made from renewable, recyclable or recycled materials.
“Taking action on single-use plastic straws is an important symbol for broader change and is one simple step towards enabling and inspiring people to live within the means of the planet,” Sæbjørnsen said.
“However, we recognise that the problem of plastic waste pollution is complex, with no single solution.
“We believe it is a shared responsibility and we are determined to play our part through our own ambitions in partnership with our customers, alongside those of the public, the wider business community and political stakeholders.”
As part of its People and Planet Positive strategy commitments for 2030, Ikea aims to design products to be 100 per cent circular so as to generate as little waste as possible, become “climate positive” by reducing climate footprint by an average of 70 per cent per product, and achieve zero emission home deliveries by 2025.
Click here to sign up to Retail Gazette‘s free daily email newsletter
