Ikea to remove single-use plastics from global range by 2020
By Josie Clarke, Press Association Consumer Affairs Correspondent
Ikea has pledged to remove all single-use plastic products from its global range and from the majority of customer and employee restaurants by 2020.
The Swedish flat pack furniture giant also said it will design products to be repaired, resold or recycled as part of commitments to be achieved by 2030 to encourage customers to live more sustainably and make its operations "truly circular".
They include designing all Ikea products with the aim of using only renewable and recycled materials, offering services that make it easier for customers to pass on products when they have finished with them, and achieving zero-emission home deliveries by 2025.
It will also increase the number of plant-based meals and snacks in its restaurants, and plans to reduce its total climate footprint by an average of 70% per product.
Lena Pripp-Kovac, sustainability manager at Ikea, said: "Becoming truly circular means meeting people's changing lifestyles, prolonging the life of products and materials and using resources in a smarter way.
"To make this a reality, we will design all products from the very beginning to be repurposed, repaired, reused, resold and recycled."
Torbjorn Loof, chief executive at Inter Ikea Group, said: "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.
"We are committed to taking the lead working together with everyone - from raw material suppliers all the way to our customers and partners."
Pic by Matt Morton/PA Wire