Ikea to introduce anti-idling program, hybrid preferential parking spots

Last Updated: Thursday, May 10, 2007 | 4:14 PM ET

CBC News

Drivers of hybrid cars can expect to get a plum parking spot at Ikea stores in Canada thanks to a new program designed to reward green consumers.

Starting May 16, the Swedish furniture retailer will dedicate two spots near the front of the store for hybrid vehicles. Ikea spokeswoman Debbie McDowell notes that drivers of low-emission cars can also make use of the spots.

"At this time we're saying hybrids but it's really open to people driving what we also are considering low-emission vehicles — anything that falls under the recent federal government incentive program would apply," she said.

McDowell said the company's U.S. counterparts have also expressed interest in the program as something they might choose to pursue, as well.

The company will also be introducing an anti-idling policy in their parking lots, reminding consumers to turn off their engines while loading up their cars.

"Usually we have a lot of people loading their car full of merchandise in our loading docks," McDowell said. "We're really asking in a nice way customers to be green and to turn their engines off while loading their cars, so that's at least an offshoot of this particular green parking."

But environmentalists say the program could be extended even further. Emily Moorehouse, an atmosphere and energy campaigner with the Sierra Club, said the company should consider encouraging people to use public transit to get to their stores and offer free delivery for those consumers.

"It seems more of a symbolic step that won't really have much of an impact when in fact they could be doing a lot more in terms of encouraging people to make the transformation necessary, and to help people who don't use their cars in order to purchase their goods," she said.

Moorehouse said she also hoped the company would consider decreasing their energy use in their stores.