Swedish furniture retailer Ikea, a member of Al-Futtaim group of companies, has launched its annual catalogues at a press event hosted at its Dubai Festival City store.

 

The 65th edition of the global Ikea Catalogue launched simultaneously in 48 countries and 32 languages, said a statement.

 

The new catalogue theme has been dedicated to that which naturally unites poeple - Food, it said.

 

The theme and concept supporting the theme – 'It’s the little things that matter' – celebrates life in and around the kitchen with the aim of bringing people together through the everyday enjoyable moments of preparing a meal and eating together. 

 

To reinforce the new theme over the next year, the catalogue focuses on four main initiatives highlighting 'Growing and Producing', 'Cooking and Preparing', 'Eating, Drinking and Serving', plus 'Storing and Handling.'

 

Each of these topics enable a healthier and more sustainable way of life while helping consumers create more special moments of togetherness while doing what they love.

 

John Kersten, managing director, Ikea - UAE, Qatar, Egypt and Oman, said: “This year at Ikea we start with food by encouraging a healthier and more sustainable lifestyle through cooking, preparing and eating together. 

 

""We will put the spotlight on the little things that we often overlook. In our daily lives, they might look like small details – a simple gesture or kind word that brings a smile to your face. We want to celebrate these simple things that make our everyday feel extraordinary.

 

“And, through our IKEA Food department we are especially keen to contribute to a better everyday life with a wider offer of delicious, healthy food that is sustainably sourced and produced; all at affordable prices too.  We aim to ensure our food offering enables healthier food choices by meeting people’s increasing interest in healthy food.”

 

Marking the beginning of the ‘New Ikea Year’, the 324 page Ikea Catalogue together with the Ikea stores aim to surprise and inspire consumers with 1,500 new products and as many ideas. 

 

This year Ikea will also be launching many new additions to its popular Restaurant and Café and Swedish Food Market. 

 

One of the newest and most anticipated additions to the Ikea Food family this season is the vegetarian 'meatball.' Signifying a natural step in this new direction, the veggie balls offer a healthier alternative with high protein content and an even lower carbon footprint. 

 

The visitors will also experience the new Ikea frozen yoghurt that offers a healthier alternative to traditional ice cream, plus a selection of organic products in the Swedish food market, which includes coffee, pasta, chocolate, cookies, jams and more. 

 

All salmon served at Ikea Restaurants & Cafés are ASC certified – Aquaculture Stewardship Council – which means that the brand follows certified sustainable practices for farming salmon, said the statement.

 

Sustainability for Ikea also means reducing food waste, both through the preparation process and proper storage methods, it said.

 

The Ikea core range also showcases products to support a more sustainable tomorrow; from heat retaining cookware and airtight storage containers to water and energy saving taps.

 

Following the sustainability thread, the Ikea catalogue – in collaboration with 30 of the largest print suppliers in the world – is officially the largest print production ever to be printed on 100 per cent Forest Stewardship Council Mix Credit certified paper. The entire production chain, from forest to printer, was FSC-certified to ensure a more sustainable origin of the wood. Also, more than half of the total energy used in the pulp, paper and print production came from renewable sources. 

 

Reaching over 100,000 downloads in the UAE last year, the Ikea catalogue mobile application is available free of cost on iOS and Android platforms, said the statement.

 

In addition to accessing a digital version of the catalogue, the application also shares tips and ideas allowing users to view extended content such as over 50 films, image galleries, 3D images and the augmented reality function by simply scanning the mobile phone icon present across the catalogue pages.

 

Within the UAE, the catalogue is in its 26th edition with over 1.1 million copies printed. 

 

The prices printed will stay true until July next year – and is therefore a guarantee for low prices throughout. 

 

Available in English and Arabic, almost 800,000 copies will be delivered door to door across Dubai, Sharjah, Abu Dhabi and Al Ain, said the statement.

 

The consumers have also been invited to pick up copies of the catalogue from Ikea stores in Dubai Festival City, Yas Island – Abu Dhabi and Al Ain from today (August 12) onwards, it added. - TradeArabia News Service