IKEA to phase out single-use plastic by 2020

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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 items like straws, plates, cups, freezer bags, garbage bags and plastic-coated paper plates and cups.

IKEA also bans single-use plastic items (including straws, cups, cutlery, plates and beverage stirrers) from its much-beloved restaurants, bistros, and cafes. These items will be replaced by ones made from sustainable materials, and all-new single-use items will be made from renewable sources.

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Vladimir Víšek, Sustainability Manager at the IKEA in the Czech Republic, Hungary & Slovakia said:

“The endless consumption of single-use plastic and the inadequate use of our natural resources leads to the immense contamination of the environment we live in.”

On their website, IKEA states:

“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.”

As of 1 January 2020, IKEA no longer sells the following items: