Ikea launches £1.3 million “foot of forest” campaign to create UK woodland

Ikea will donate the equivalent of a square foot of forest every time customers swipe their Ikea Family loyalty card. This partnership with Woodland Trust will run for an initial four years and, over that period, Ikea hopes to raise at least £1.3 million to create an additional 181 hectares (452 acres) of UK woodland. Fifteen Ikea stores all over the UK will participate immediately in the foot of forest project with an additional two new stores - in Belfast and Coventry - due to sign up when they open next month.

To start the campaign Ikea UK will donate a foot of forest for each of its 9000 co-workers employed at its stores and distribution centres.

The Woodland Trust has more than 1000 woods across the UK covering approximately 20,000 hectares (50,000 acres). All are open to the public. The Ikea Family card gives customers a range of special, exclusive discounts and offers and since launching in February of this year has attracted more than a million new members. Each time an Ikea Family member visits a store and swipes their membership card at a checkout, 10p will be donated to Woodland Trust which effectively creates a square foot of woodland.

Charlie Browne, Ikea UK's environment manager, described the initiative as “literally groundbreaking” and added: “Our customers have a fantastic opportunity to help us do something positive to ensure that the UK's forests flourish.” “The UK is one of the least wooded countries in Europe so that's one very good reason for doing something positive.”

“What could be easier than a customer swiping a card once every time they visit a store? We then donate a square foot of forest to the Woodland Trust. “This exciting project gives us all a chance to work together and make a difference.”

Sue Holden, Woodland Trust's chief executive said: “We are delighted to be working with Ikea over the next four years on what is one of our biggest corporate partnerships.”

“Our exciting campaign will make a huge difference to the environment right here in UK, creating hundreds of acres of native woodland and involving thousands of Ikea customers.”

“The UK lags way behind the rest of Europe when it comes to tree cover so Ikea and its customers can genuinely help us make a big difference to the UK landscape. We are also looking forward to inspiring Ikea Family members to get out and enjoy our stunning woods, open to the public all year round.”

The foot of forest project is the latest environmental project spearheaded by Ikea in the UK.