Swedish multinational company Ikea is taking another step forward towards being a fully circular company by planning to systematically phase out plastic packaging by 2028.
“Paper is a very good material to use because it does come from renewable sources, and it has quite strong circular capabilities,” says Maja Kjellberg, packaging innovation leader at Ikea. “But we’re not limiting ourselves to paper. We do want to use other materials going forward. And we have an innovation program ongoing right now where we’re scouting on startups and scale-ups to find new ways of packing products and other materials that aren’t wood and fiber-based.”
So far, Ikea has explored mushroom-based packaging instead of styrofoam, and is looking into waste from the food industry and waste from its own production to create sustainable wrapping. Today, only 10% of Ikea’s packaging is plastic – much of the 920,000 tons of wrapping material is already paper. All new products will come in plastic-free packaging by 2025 – with the exception of certain food products – and by 2028, it will apply to all existing products. Recycled or plant-based material will eventually be used to wrap food, and the company vows that “when we still have to use the plastics, we will make sure that they are from renewable sources or recycled.”
