Disposable Bags Completely Discontinued at IKEA Stores

As of October 1, 2008, IKEA will no longer be offering plastic or paper bags at any of its US stores. Only reusable bags will be offered.

With the introduction of its 'bag the plastic bag' program in March 2007, IKEA set a goal of reducing its US stores' plastic bag consumption by 50%; from 70 million to 35 million plastic bags in the first year. The call was to go reusable, particularly focusing on the iconic IKEA blue bag for $.59. Or don't use a bag at all.

And IKEA also said if that was not an acceptable solution, IKEA plastic bags could be purchased for five-cents, with all proceeds going to American Forests (the nation's oldest non-profit citizens conservation organization) to plant trees to restore forests and help reduce CO(2) emissions.

Now, eighteen months since the program began, plastic bag reduction continues to be at 92%. Expectations were exceeded and IKEA learned their customers welcome the opportunity to find new ways to be environmentally responsible.

This program has now resulted in IKEA taking another step; as of October 1, 2008, IKEA will no longer offer plastic bags or paper bags. IKEA's consumer call-to-action is to use only reusable bags.

"The success of this program clearly demonstrates that like IKEA, our customers care about our global home," said Pernille Spiers-Lopez, president, IKEA North America. "They have let us know, that they're looking at ways to be environmentally responsible in their everyday lives. Plus the huge increase in our reusable blue bag sales, tells us that our bold step to end plastic bag sales has been welcomed by our customers across the nation."

As evidence, IKEA cites Environmental Protection Agency figures that say the U.S. consumes over 380 billion plastic bags, sacks and wraps each year. According to the company, Americans throw away some 100 billion polyethylene plastic bags, and less than one percent of them are recycled.

"American Forests and IKEA have developed a growing environmental partnership based on Global ReLeaf tree planting over almost a decade. In that time IKEA and its co-workers and store visitors have sponsored the planting of over 728,000 trees in Global ReLeaf ecosystem restoration projects throughout the United States. In addition to CO(2) sequestration, the environmental benefits of these projects in terms of clean air, pure water and improved wildlife habitat are substantial and measurable.

The fact that IKEA has shown outstanding leadership in reducing plastic bag usage while providing support for Global ReLeaf environmental restoration just reinforces our pride in working with such a forward thinking company," stated Deborah Gangloff, executive director, American Forests.

With the sale of the IKEA reusable blue bag increasing tremendously, customers are using it for multi-purposes. To see just how this bag is being utilized, people across the globe can visit www.ikea.com (contest to go up in mid-November) to submit photos or videos demonstrating their creative and practical blue bag uses as well as places that they have taken their blue bags.

Customers can also design virtual blue bags using IKEA textile design options and eco-friendly sayings. Web site visitors can vote on and share their favorite submissions with others as well as enter to win weekly sweepstakes prize offerings and also a grand prize offering. These prizes will be announced soon.