IKEA announced the successful phase-out of single-use plastic from the home furnishing range globally.
This includes single-use use plastic products that are based on renewable and/or recyclable plastic material intended to only be used once and then disposed of like straws, freezer bags, garbage bags and plastic-coated paper plates and cups.
According to IKEA, single-use plastic can pollute ecosystems, such as oceans and waterways, and harm wildlife if it’s not disposed of responsibly. Committed to the goal of phasing out single-use plastic products, IKEA has also introduced a new range of disposables for all IKEA restaurants, bistros and cafés.
Existing cups, cutlery, bowls, plates and straws have been replaced with products made with materials from renewable sources. Plastic drinking straws have been replaced with paper, bamboo and metal straws depending on the market.
For food safety reasons, the thin layer of coating in disposable cups, a mandatory requirement to prevent liquid from leaking or soaking through the paper, has been replaced with plastic coating made from sugar cane which is a renewable source.
The direction for IKEA for many years has been to use as much fibre-based material as possible for packaging. For instance, it has removed all EPS (expanded polystyrene) from the home furnishing range, except for some kitchen appliances. Currently, the total share of plastic used for packaging is below 10% – the rest is fibre-based, such as paper and cardboard.
