July 4, 2025 14:47

Long committed to reducing plastics in its packaging, the Swedish flat-pack giant IKEA this year began replacing fitting plastic bags with paper-based versions, aiming to cut annual plastic use by about 1,400 metric tons.

Rollout of the new paper bags, which have a thin plastic coating, will be gradual, with full conversion expected by 2028.

The move is part of the company’s Plastics Out Agenda, which calls for eliminating virgin-plastic consumer packaging by 2028 and, thereafter, using only renewable, recyclable materials.

Production is handled by IKEA Components, the unit that sources and packages hardware. It makes the bags at plants in Malacky, Slovakia, and Nantong, China, using wood residue and other waste from outside suppliers.

The company says the coating does not hinder recyclability and will eventually be replaced with renewable materials.

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