IKEA to convert all lighting to LED by 2016

LED lighting consumes 85 per cent less energy than incandescent bulbs and lasts up to 20 years

BURLINGTON, ON, Oct. 1, 2012 /CNW/ - IKEA Canada announced today that it will be converting its full lighting range to LED (light emitting diodes) by 2016 - meaning IKEA will be selling only LED bulbs and LED lamps. To enable millions of people to live a more sustainable life at home and save money on their energy bills, IKEA will sell the bulbs at the lowest price on the market. Globally, IKEA will change more than one million lights inside IKEA stores to LED and other more energy efficient lighting.

"IKEA Canada is continuously taking steps to make our business more sustainable," says Kerri Molinaro, President of IKEA Canada. "Our goal is to share this vision with our customers by offering them products that make it easier to live a more sustainable life at home."

A recent survey conducted last week in Canada in partnership with Vision Critical/Angus Reid Public Opinion, revealed that while the majority of Canadians know that LED bulbs use the least amount of energy, less than one third currently use them in their homes. The survey went on to reveal unique Canadian insights and perceptions on the topic. Highlights include:

• Almost half of Canadians (49%) know that LED bulbs have a longer life span than Incandescent, Halogen and CFL bulbs
• Yet, only 27 per cent say they use LED bulbs. More than half (57%) use CFL bulbs, while 47 per cent use Incandescent, and 26 per cent use Halogen bulbs
• 42 per cent of Canadians believe using the most energy efficient light bulb will have a moderate impact on decreasing their electricity bills
• 72 per cent of Canadians say they are at least moderately willing to pay more up front for a light bulb if it would lower their electricity bills

Already today, there is a wide range of LED bulbs available at IKEA that enable customers to easily change old incandescent bulbs to LED without changing the lamp base. LED lighting is, until now, one of the best kept secrets in home furnishing sustainability:

• If one million people changed one bulb each into LED, this would in terms of CO2 emissions correspond to taking almost 6,700 cars off the road, or planting 17 million trees per year.
• LED unlocks a new world of lighting design - it can be used in a multitude of ways, lights up immediately and gives good, warm light.
• LED is safe to use - it does not create heat and does not contain mercury.
  

About IKEA

IKEA is a leading home furnishings retailer with 325 stores in 40 countries worldwide, which are visited by 734 million people every year. IKEA Canada has 11 stores which are visited by over 25 million people every year. Last year the IKEA.com websites attracted 904 million visitors. Founded in 1943, IKEA's business philosophy is to offer a wide range of products of good design and function at prices so low, the majority of people can afford them. For more information on IKEA, please visit: www.IKEA.ca.

SOURCE: IKEA Canada