Ikea has announced a range of sustainability commitments that includes a pledge to remove all single-use plastic products from stores by 2020.

Single-use, disposable plastic items that will be scrapped from Ikea's 363 stores and restaurants include straws, plates, cups, freezer bags, garbage bags, and plastic-coated paper plates and cups, it said.

In a bid to become more "climate positive" and reduce its environmental footprint, the world's largest furniture retailer will also design all products with "circular principles", to facilitate product reuse and recycling.

"To make this a reality, we will design all products from the very beginning to be repurposed, repaired, reused, resold and recycled," said Lena Pripp-Kovac, Ikea's sustainability manager.

Jesper Brodin, chief executive of Ikea, endorsed the value of the circular economy during a speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos earlier this year, when he said the company would trial renting out items to shoppers, who do not always feel the need to own the products, and are worried about the environmental impact of disposing of furniture.