In Austria, it has been implemented for some time: Prices for meatless dishes at furniture giant IKEA are now primarily cheaper than dishes with meat. Worldwide, the Ingka Group, which operates the majority of the furniture chain IKEA's stores, is adjusting the prices for plant-based foods. The aim is to reach more customers and give them a cheaper alternative to Köttbullar and hotdogs. The vegan and vegetarian meals are now cheaper than meat dishes, or at least at the same price.
"By offering more sustainable options to the many people, we hope to give them more options and inspire them to try the vegetarian hotdog, for example, instead of reaching for the meaty original they are used to. At Ikea, we believe that sustainable products should be affordable for as many people as possible and not just a luxury for a few," Jesper Brodin, CEO of Ingka Group, said in a press statement, as reported by the Standard.
Vegetable balls, pea balls and the veggie hotdog are said to be cheaper than the alternatives with meat.
"In Austria, this has been the case for a long time," Uwe Blümel, public relations leader for Ikea Austria, told Der Standard. "We don't want to militantly force anyone into meatless products, but try to offer a range for everyone."
More than 600 million meals are served annually in IKEA stores, and more than 50 percent of the offerings in Austria are already meatless.
Plant-based dishes should be integrated more and more into the menus in global gastronomy in order to reduce the self-evidence with which we serve animal products and go back to a basis of sustainable products for climate action and to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals until 2030.
More information: https://www.derstandard.de/consent/tcf/story/2000139497667/ikea-will-weltweit-pflanzliche-gerichte-billiger-oder-preisgleich-anbieten-wie