Life in the Retail Space October 2015 | Page 12

NEWS FROM THE HIGH STREET Ikea goes Green Ikea Group and Ikea Foundation have pledged €1 billion on renewable energy and climate change policies, particularly in nations and communities most impacted by climate change. The pledge builds on previously invested €1.5 billion which has been used by Ikea to improve wind and solar power technologies since 2009. This investment coupled with others of Ikea’s green initiatives has resulted in the company being on track to becoming energy independent / neutral - producing as much energy as it consumes. TESLA MOTORS GOES MOBILE WITH POP-UP ATTRACTION Tesla Motors have created a new mobile pop up shop designed in a shipping container that can be loaded onto the back of a truck to travel around the US and be erected in minutes. The pop up features; photographs of the Model S, a place for customers to relax and talk to employees, a miniature design studio where customers can see and touch material and trim options, Tesla themed branded merchandise and, of course, a top spec Tesla Model S car. NEWS FROM THE HIGH STREET The shipping container was designed to be entirely mobile and therefore, be able to follow customers around the US to the summer’s most popular destinations. The convenience of the temporary design allows the company to introduce the Model S to audiences in locations where bricks and mortar stores have not been established at this point, including Santa Barbara and the Hamptons. Tesla have suggested that they will be adding more stops to their pop up tour and have even hinted that the pop up’s may be travelling our way, touring other key market areas in Europe- Keep an eye out! The new funding looks to help less well off communities to increase their resilience to climate change and adopt renewable energy technologies and initiatives across the community as a whole. Further to this, Ikea have announced the opening of four eco friendly stores in India, which will feature solar panels on the store roofs, and in car parks. Ikea’s carbon footprint will also be the focus of development, with partnerships with suppliers utilised to improve energy efficiencies. Ikea have identified the potential for huge savings, which, in turn, translate into enormous reductions in carbon dioxide emissions, demonstrating the dyadic benefits related to going green within the retail industry. 12 LITRS OCTOBER 2015 OCTOBER 2015 LITRS 13