Ikea abandons plastic

Lifestyle retailer Ikea is to completely abandon traditional plastic bags and will go 'carrier neutral' by removing all plastic bags from its stores.

'Our role as a retailer is to help our customers make small changes that will have a positive impact on the environment,' said Ikea environment manager Charlie Browne. The initiative stems from a pledge it made at last year's World Environment Day, to cut plastic bag usage from 32 million a year to 12 million.

The Swedish retailer is not alone in tackling the area. Marks & Spencer aims to cut use by a third in three years and all the major supermarkets are promoting 'bag for life' schemes.