Environmental Leader

It’s been a year since Ikea introduced its “bag the plastic bag” program. The retailer had set a goal of reducing its U.S. stores’ plastic bag consumption by 50 percent; from 70 million to 35 million plastic bags in the first year. The call was to go reusable with Ikea’s blue bag for $.59 or use an alternative reusable bag. It wasn’t an outright ban, customers could purchase plastic bags for five-cents. Come October, that’s going to change.

A year after the program began, more than 92 percent of Ikea’s customers have stopped buying plastic bags. With that result in hand, Ikea is taking another step forward; as of October 1, 2008, Ikea will no longer offer plastic bags. Paper bags are not available in Ikea stores either.