The Star 11 Jul 11;
IKEA Malaysia will become the country’s first retailer to eliminate the use of single-use plastic bags in the latest environment initiative by the home furnishing company.
This has been a journey for IKEA Malaysia which began in June 2009, when it introduced the “Kick the plastic bag habit” campaign with the aim of reducing plastic bags consumption. Since the campaign started, IKEA has reduced its plastic bags usage. Now in its second year of the campaign, there’s a positive trend of the IKEA customers stopped buying plastic bags.
Following this supportive action from its customers, IKEA Malaysia is now taking another step forward - from July 1, the retailer will no longer offer plastic bags.
IKEA Malaysia will stop offering plastic bags to its customers as plastic bags are harmful to the environment. This is the initiative that IKEA is doing as part of its commitment to be an environmentally responsible company.
“Eliminating plastic bags is one more way that we can show our commitment to responsible retailing.
“With the implementation of this initiative starting July 1, we are confident that our customers will continue to support our environment efforts as they have done from day one,” says IKEA Damansara sales manager Roszalena Mashurdin.
At IKEA, we firmly believe that our business should have as little impact on the environment as possible,” she added.
The call for action is to go reusable while shopping at IKEA stores with any reusable shopping bags. Or shop with the iconic IKEA blue bag, which is reusable and durable. Currently the IKEA blue bag comes in two sizes, but starting July 1, the mini version of the iconic blue bag will be available, giving its customers three sizes to choose from.
Alternatively, customers can pick up free carton boxes for re-use after the check-out counters.
“IKEA’s vision is to create a better everyday life for the many people. With this initiative, we hope to ignite a change in the general attitude towards plastic bags usage and encourage a new habit of carrying a reusable bag wherever we go,” said Ikano Retail Asia sustainability manager Joycelyn Teo-Moser.
From June 5, 2009 to June 30, 2011, customers at the IKEA store are charged 20 cents for each plastic bag.
There is no financial gain for IKEA from the sales of the plastic bags with all proceeds going to IKEA’s environmental partner – the Malaysian Nature Society (MNS), the largest and leading local environmental non-profit company.
