Ikea promotes sustainability – according to experts, it's approaching greenwashing.

Ikea Promotes Sustainability - Experts Warn of Greenwashing

When Ikea promotes sustainability and responsible forestry, it is approaching the boundaries of greenwashing, according to experts.

21 minutes ago

Green forests stretching as far as the eye can see, old tree trunks with new, sprouting saplings and insects crawling around the forest floor. These are some of the images you encounter in Ikea's advertising videos, where they explain why they "love trees." Simultaneously, you come across terms like "sustainable," "responsible forestry," and "minimal environmental impact."

However, revelations in a new DR documentary titled "Ikea Loves Trees" have experts questioning whether Ikea's forestry in Romania is sustainable.

- If Ikea cannot document that it is sustainable and there is evidence that they cannot, then it would be illegal. So it would be greenwashing, says Heidi Højmark Helveg.

When Ikea promotes sustainability, it can be difficult for consumers to discern whether there is a genuine commitment to sustainable production or merely marketing, explains Jan Trzaskowski, who is a professor of marketing law at Aalborg University.

- The advertisements give the impression that Ikea genuinely wants to be sustainable, and the average consumer will likely perceive the message as Ikea already being sustainable.

You can see an excerpt of one of Ikea's own advertising videos here.

Ikea writes in a written response to DR that they "categorically reject the accusation of greenwashing."

- Our engagement in responsible forestry is supported by strict practices, independent certifications, and comprehensive transparency. Our forestry in Romania complies with all national and international regulations and is regularly reviewed by independent third parties.

Problematic Forestry

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When experts believe that Ikea is dressing up with borrowed green feathers, it is due to the way Ikea manages some of their forests.

Ikea is one of the largest buyers of wood in the furniture industry. They obtain four percent of their total wood from Romania, which, according to the EU, is home to some of Europe's oldest forests.

The new DR documentary "Ikea Loves Trees" focuses on Ikea's forestry in Romania and, according to experts, is far from sustainable. Möbelgiganten is accused of using clearcutting – or in Danish, renafelling – which involves felling entire areas of trees.

- It bears no resemblance to what I would call sustainable forestry. It is, in fact, clearcutting in the classic sense, where all trees are felled without leaving anything behind on the area. That is not something that is normally accepted within certified forestry.

This is how it sounds from Jacob Heilmann-Clausen, who is a lecturer at the section for biodiversity at the University of Copenhagen.

Ikea has previously been in the spotlight for problematic forestry practices. There have been cases in the press about Ikea using wood from illegal forestry in both Ukraine and Russia.

- Ikea is treading a fine line, and perhaps even crossing it, in relation to the green claims they have made. It is something that could easily be on the border of greenwashing, says Heidi Højmark Helveg, who is a lawyer specializing in marketing law.

You can see some of DR's footage from Ikea's forests in Romania, where trees have been felled.

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Ikea Dismisses Criticism

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At the Consumer Council Think, there is no doubt that consumers are being misled by Ikea's marketing. Director Winni Grosbøll emphasizes that, in the end, it is the consumer ombudsman who decides whether something is greenwashing.

- But when we look at what Ikea shows us, we would consider it greenwashing. There seems to be a mismatch between what they do and what they claim to do.

People shop at Ikea, which is known for very affordable furniture. Have consumers not also assumed some responsibility?

- Ikea tells me as a consumer that I can have both an affordable product and a sustainable production. Therefore, it is extremely important that the story holds true.

Read also: 3 questions and answers about the documentary 'Ikea Loves Trees' ()

Ikea writes to DR that they cannot recognize the experts' criticism of their marketing materials being misleading. They write:

- Our marketing reflects both our sustainability goals and the concrete measures we take to produce responsibly.

Ikea also emphasizes that customers can have "confidence that sustainability is not just an ambition, but an integrated part of our way of doing business."

- At Ikea, we have strict requirements and control systems for responsible wood procurement. If we discover irregularities in our supply chain, we investigate the matter and take action accordingly.

Watch the documentary 'Ikea Loves Trees' on DRTV here:

Documentary | 59M IKEA elsker træ ()

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