IKEA Australia is aiming to help customers live more sustainably and make potential savings on their household expenses with the launch of its Australian-first Sustainable Living Shop. 

The Sustainable Living Shop is a new shop within a shop format rolling out across all 10 IKEA stores nationwide by early 2023. It is a dedicated section of the store where customers can find products designed to help reduce their climate footprint at home by using less energy and creating less waste.

Despite the cost saving benefits associated with habits such as energy saving lightbulbs, or reducing food waste, a recent survey conducted by IKEA Australia revealed over half of Australians (52%) believe living sustainably would increase their cost of living.

The research also revealed that 60% think they should adopt more sustainable practices in their home, however over one-third are holding back from making their home more sustainable due to cost. How much is the price for adopting sustainable habits in the home? Australians say they would have to see an average return on investment of $55 per week to consider being more sustainable. 

IKEA Australia country sustainability manager, Mellisa Hamilton (pictured) said, “Right now, the cost of living, energy and food are all rapidly increasing, and we understand the challenges consumers face when it comes to living sustainably at home. There’s still a perception that introducing sustainable products or habits in the home will cost too much, but it’s quite the opposite. There’s never been a better time to help Aussies to reduce their climate footprint at home with affordable products and low-cost solutions from IKEA which can also save them money longer term.” 

In addition to the launch of the Sustainable Living Shop, as an antidote to the estimated record $6.2 billion Australians are estimated to spend over the Black Friday/Cyber Monday weekend, IKEA is bringing back its popular Green Friday promotion.

Green Friday lets customers receive an additional 50% on a refund card when they trade in their pre-loved IKEA furniture between 21 November and 31 December 2022.

“In Australia, last year’s Green Friday saw over 3,000 products returned to be resold and have a second life in a new home, diverting approximately 29 tonnes of product waste from landfill,” Hamilton said.  

“A recent survey we conducted revealed that 92% of Australians recycle and nearly one in three Australians believe recycling is the single most important thing they can do to live more sustainably, yet only 35% source secondhand furniture. We hope providing end-to-end services such as Buy Back and As-is, will help Aussies see the secondhand furniture market as a great way to live a more sustainable life at home.” 

To trade in furniture this Green Friday, customers can use the online estimator on the IKEA website, before taking their assembled IKEA furniture into an IKEA store, to then receive an IKEA refund card. To be eligible for the Green Friday promotion, customers must be IKEA Family members and generate a quote between 21 November and 9 December 2022 and return the furniture between 21 November and 31 December 2022.