Ikea removing plastic bags, straws, single-use plastics by 2020

Swedish home furniture supplier Ikea has pledged to remove all plastic bags, straws and other single-use plastics products its stores globally, and from customer and employee restaurants in stores by 2020.

The company made the announcement at its “democratic design days” event June 6 at its headquarters in Älmhult, Sweden.

Ikea said it will introduce more plant-based food choices in its stores, such as the vegetarian hot dog that will be available in August. The company said the pledge to eliminate single-use plastics is part of a larger environmental pledge to become “people and planet positive by 2030,” such as by introducing what it says will be affordable home solar products in 29 Ikea markets by 2025.

Ikea’s announcement is the latest in a string of bans against plastic straws. Earlier this week, A&W Canada announced that it will eliminate plastic straws from its locations by January 2019, making it the first restaurant chain of its kind in North America to do so; and last month, Vancouver voted to ban the distribution of plastic straws as well as foam takeout containers and cups as part of its zero-waste strategy.

McDonald’s, on the other hand, recently resisted efforts to study the issue in the U.S., saying it’s working toward having all its packaging from renewable or recycled sources by 2025.