IKEA, Lidl, and Other Czech Stores to Reduce Plastic Waste

As part of an initiative from the Ministry of the Environment of the Czech Republic, 13 major franchises across the country will be reducing or altogether removing their use of plastic goods starting in 2019.

Those chains include some of the Czech Republic’s biggest retailers, including home furnishings megastore IKEA, supermarket Lidl, coffee chains Starbucks and Costa Coffee, and more.

“The main topic over the coming months will be the submission of new laws on modern waste legislation,” says Environment Minister Richard Brabec.

“The key issue for the Czech Republic will be solved, which is the need for a sharp reduction of landfill as well as the strengthening of recycling.”

“That is why, thanks to our new partners, we are joining an initiative in the form of commitments that will contribute to the overall reduction of the production of disposable plastics in our country.”

Each store that has agreed to the new initiative specified both how and when they would be reducing their output of disposable plastics.

IKEA, for example, will no longer be selling plastic straws, jars, or coasters, and will be removing all plastic cutlery from their in-store restaurants.

“We have committed to ending the sale of all disposable plastic products such as straw or plastic plates by 2020,” says Roman Bojko, Sustainable Development Manager for IKEA Czech Republic.

Lidl, too, will be ending the sale of disposable plastic products such as plates and straws in its stores next year, in favor of recyclable alternatives. The chain plans to reduce the total amount of plastic products it sells by 20% by 2025.

“We welcome the initiative from the Ministry of the Environment because it is in line with our strategy of reducing plastic waste,” says Lidl Czech Republic Director General Pavel Stratil.

Lagardère Travel Retail, which owns Costa Coffee and Paul locations in the Czech Republic, will be replacing plastic cups and straws with paper alternatives, and use glassware for on-site consumption.

At Starbucks locations in the Czech Republic, customers are currently incentivized to use their own multi-use cups when ordering by receiving a 10 CZK discount on beverages.

While some retailers have refused to use customers’ own cups due to sanitary reasons in the past, the Ministry of Environment has agreed with State Health Institute that this should no longer be an issue going forward.