The Un-Friendly IKEA in Israel
by Karin Kloosterman, Jerusalem, Israel on 03. 2.07
Finally. IKEA is charging customers for those gigantic plastic bags that no one really needs except for the moments when we wheel our stuff from the curb to the car and then haul it up the stairs. But not in Israel. Here the 5 cent charge doesn't and won't apply to IKEA Israel shoppers no matter how good are IKEA's intentions or PR campaigns. We reckon that the Israeli marketing advisors said no dice over charging for the bags. And that's exactly what we found when we read this Globes story. Shlomo Gabay, the GM for the company said, “The company’s policy in Israel is to provide the plastic bags as a customer service at no charge. IKEA does many things for the environment. Our contributions are not made at the customer’s expense, but through our insistence on using recyclable materials. We’re also careful to work with organizations that reflect a policy of protecting the environment, and when we want to give money, we know how to do it quietly.” Okay folks – Israelis plastic bag everything. Once the bags are used, they are tossed, sent to the landfill or blow into the sea. But if IKEA Israel believes they can be recycled, then more power to the company. Mr. Gabay – care to let concerned TreeHuggers everywhere know how this is possible when no nation-wide recycling program exists in Israel? ::Globes
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Charging a nickel for an IKEA bag won't have any impact. When you are spending hundreds of dollars, it just isn't a significant difference. Other incentives might work better - say, a $1 discount if you bring the bag back for your next purchase. But I suspect even that wouldn't be widely used.
Nick Kasoff
The Thug Report
It seems as if nobody wants to ever take responsibility for there actions . If the rest of the worlds monster corporations would follow similar evironmental policies things would not be so bad . Considering they are charging the wasteful ,consumer frenzy american market , as well as Europe is pretty bold . Also why hasn't the public in Israel demanded , a National Recycleing Program of sorts ? I happen to know the plastics industry is big in Israel , perhaps they could step up to the plate and cut there raw material issues and relieve there fellow citizens . I'm not making any excuses for anyone , I personally take my own bags when I go places , or reuse them for various things around the house , on the rare occasion I recieve them. Perhaps we can write and ask IKEA , they are a very responsible company for there size , and open to responsible policy . Take care , All !
Plastic bags are nothing compared to worse ecological crimes of Ikea. Currently they are building a giant store on a large area of last sand dunes of Israeli Mediterranean coast. While this subject is discussed in court, Ikea continues building and destroying...
Hello! Whats the problem IKEA is building a retailpark on a INDUSTRIAL AREA! Is it better that a factory puts up a plant than IKEA opening a store!?! The problem is not the site I think the problem is that some local business men don´t like IKEA trespassing on their market!
GO IKEA!!!
ummmm..you know why? because the racists already charge 24% more for ikea products to israelis than anywhere else in the world.
since many isrealis are world travellers, they are not unaware of how they are gouged compared to other countries, so it would add insult to injury to charge for the bag.