September 2023
The Global Cooksafe Coalition (GCC) welcomes the world’s first announcement from IKEA Netherlands to focus on safe, efficient electric cooking and end the sale of gas cooktops in the Netherlands from January 2024.
Liselotte van Dijk, Sustainability Business Partner IKEA Netherlands said: “IKEA Netherlands wants to contribute to a more sustainable life at home and the sale of gas hobs does not fit in with that.”
On LinkedIn, the company declared that: “By only offering induction hobs, we want to stimulate the market and consumers to switch to electric cooking.”
The Global Cooksafe Coalition Global Program Manager, Luciana Nemeth said: “This announcement from IKEA is an important step in the right direction for cooktop retailers. Induction cooking is safer for our health and the climate and is a far superior cooking experience for commercial and home cooks. We expect this is the first of many such commitments from the big cooktop retailers and brands.”
The European Public Health Alliance (EPHA) Policy Manager, Cristina Pricop said: “Gas cooking appliances emit invisible air pollutants that pose significant risks to human health and the environment and studies are showing that over 700,000 children in the EU experience asthma symptoms due to cooking with gas. Moving away from gas cooking is a strong measure to protect public health and children’s health.”
CEO of the World Green Building Council, Cristina Gamboa said: “The zero carbon future requires all citizens to take action in their everyday life. Congratulations to IKEA Netherlands for only offering clean, all electric cooking stoves to consumers from January 2024. This is exactly the type of leadership we are calling for this World Green Building Week 2023 as part of a clean energy transition, and the transition away from fossil fuels.”
CLASP Europe Director, Nicole Kearney said: “CLASP’s research on the health and environmental impacts of gas cooking underlines the urgency to shift from gas to electric. Proactive action is necessary, from both industry and government, to accelerate the switch to cleaner and healthier electric cooking. IKEA Netherlands is leading the way, showing that it can be done, and we hope to see this replicated around Europe.”
The GCC is championed by well-known chefs and food culture leaders worldwide, including Neil Perry, Palisa Anderson, James Edward Henry from Le Doyenné and Gordon Ramsey’s development chef Rob Roy Cameron.
Chef, restaurateur, author and television presenter, Neil Perry said: “I have been cooking on induction in my restaurants for over 20 years and have been thrilled with not only the performance but also the health benefits – it’s so much cooler, and I know I’m not breathing in toxic chemicals while I cook.
“I’ve also got an induction cooktop at home. It’s faster and more precise than my old gas cooktop and much easier to clean. Induction is a massive upgrade for home cooks. Anything that makes it easier to get dinner on the table and is safer for our families is a win-win.”
James Edward Henry, from Le Doyenné near Paris said: “If you were to take a tour around some of the most forward thinking chefs’ kitchens in the world right now you’d be hard pressed to find a gas stove. People are moving toward induction for its precision, its ease of cleaning, and potential to limit fossil fuel consumption. There’s nothing you can’t do on induction that you can do on gas.”
