The world has hit peak home furnishings, according to an Ikea executive.
But the world’s largest furniture retailer remains adamant it’s part of the solution, rather than the problem.
Steve Howard, head of sustainability with the Swedish company, told audience members at a Guardian Live event in London last week that mass consumption has been the culprit behind other “peak” crises in past decades.
“If we look at a global basis, in the West we probably hit peak oil. I’d say we’ve hit peak red meat, peak sugar, peak stuff … peak home furnishings,” Howard said, joking, “It doesn’t sound quite so threatening.”“We will be increasingly building a circular Ikea where you can repair and recycle products,”
According to The Guardian, the company introduced a series of environmental policies last year to help its mandate to lower water consumption, promote energy efficiency, and sustainable product development.
“We’ve hit peak curtains:” Even IKEA thinks everyone’s bought enough useless stuff
... With oil now cheaper than an actual barrel, is home furniture the next tipping point?
Howard doesn’t seem to be too startled by what he refers to as “peak curtains.” He suggests that on a global basis “most people are still poor and most people actually haven’t got to sufficiency yet. There is a global growth opportunity… but it’s a distribution issue.”
