Ikea Restaurants to Ban Plastic Straws, Cups
Besides their easy-to-assemble furniture, Ikea’s four branches throughout Israel are favorites of many locals for a quick lunch or dinner – including in the chareidi sector, thanks to the chain’s solid kitchen hashgachos.
And as a major “hidden” force in the Israeli restaurant market, any decision on what or how it serves its food is likely to have a major impact on the market. And that includes the company’s announcement this week that it will stop using disposable plastic in its restaurants, and will no longer sell disposable plastic products.
In that latter category are plastic straws, and beginning at the end of the current year, Ikea will be removing them from the shelves. Bans on plastic straws are becoming popular in many jurisdictions, and many companies in the U.S. have announced that they will stop supplying or selling them. Many environmentalists consider straws to be the most egregious form of plastic waste; because they are so light they are more likely to end up in the oceans, and are thus more likely to be consumed by fish and birds.
Instead of plastic, Ikea will be offering straws of reinforced paper or flexible metals, meant to be reused. Those straws will be used in the restaurants as well, and along with straws, the restaurants will be banning plastic cups, plates, take-away trays, etc. While not banning plastic in other areas, Ikea has pledged to reduce its “plastic footprint,” using recycled plastic wherever possible in furniture and home furnishings, as well.
A report in Globes said that Ikea is not alone in its efforts. Last week, the Landwer coffee shop chain announced that it, too, was banning plastic, and would no longer supply plastic straws, cups, or take-away packs in its stores. Other companies are likely to announce similar bans in the coming weeks, the report said.
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