An Ikea outlet in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, as captured on Wednesday, Photo credit: Andrew Vaughan / The Canadian Press.
Canada is excluded from the full weekday free kids’ meals offer
IKEA has recently rolled out a global promotion aimed at easing household budgets by offering discounted meals in many of its locations worldwide. The highlight? Half-price meals for adults and completely free meals for kids from Monday to Friday. But Canadian customers excited by the announcement were left disappointed after learning that the deal won't apply in full across the country.
The initial press release from Ikea listed Canada as one of the 14 countries participating in the offer. However, Ikea Canada later clarified that the information was partially incorrect. According to Alicia Carroll, a spokesperson for Ikea Canada, the promotion will be available in a limited format and only to specific customers.
Canadian shoppers who are part of Ikea's loyalty program, known as Ikea Family, will be the only ones eligible for 50% off select main dishes. This discount will be available on weekdays, but with a few strings attached—it applies only to certain items and is valid only while supplies last.
As for the much-advertised free kids’ meals, Canadian customers can only enjoy this perk on Wednesdays, and only if they purchase an adult meal. The offer is valid from July 10 through August, not all week as it is in some other countries.
This restricted version of the deal seems to contradict Ikea’s global messaging that framed the promotion as part of their commitment to helping customers cope with rising living costs. The brand and its parent company, Ingka Group, described the initiative as a way to support families facing economic pressure. But some experts believe this move may have come too late to make a real impact.
Sylvain Charlebois, a food policy researcher from Dalhousie University, shared his views on the promotion in an interview with CTVNews.ca. Speaking from Brazil, he noted that while food inflation is still present, it’s not nearly as pressing as it was in the past couple of years. Canada’s current food inflation rate stands at 3.4%, slightly above the G7 average.
“If Ikea had launched this campaign two years ago, when families were really struggling, the response might have been stronger,” Charlebois said. “Today, most people have already adjusted their spending habits.”
He also pointed out that this promotion likely serves a dual purpose. While it offers some relief to shoppers, it may also be a strategic business move designed to bring more people into the store. Since customers don’t frequently buy furniture, offering affordable meals can attract more foot traffic—and once inside, people are likely to make small, unplanned purchases.
“Using food as a hook is a smart tactic,” he said. “Even if people come in for the food, they often leave with more.”
