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IKEA is launching vegan ‘plant balls’ and apparently they taste just like proper meatballs

The 'plant ball' joins IKEA's ever-expanding range of sustainable veggie options.

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 16th July 2020
IKEA UK & Ireland

IKEA is introducing a brand new ‘plant ball’ to its ever-expanding range of sustainable veggie options and apparently it’s meant to taste just as good as proper meatballs.

The Swedish furniture retailer is of course most famous for it’s flat-packed furniture, but its iconic Swedish meatballs come in a very close second.

Many Brits would class it as the best part of a trip to IKEA, really.

In what is sure to be music to the ears of vegans across the UK then, IKEA is launching a new ‘plant ball’ to its menu that apparently tastes just as good as proper meatballs and they’ll be available to try out from 3rd August.

IKEA UK & Ireland

Unlike IKEA’s previous offering up until now – ‘veggie balls’ – these new plant balls are completely vegan.

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According to IKEA Food Services, the plant balls are made from yellow pea protein, oats, potatoes, onion, and apple, which might sound a bit odd, we know, but when mashed all together, it apparently manages to offer the same great taste and texture as IKEA’s famous and much-loved Swedish meatballs.

As well as being vegan-friendly, the plant balls are also being promoted as “a more sustainable sibling to the much-loved meatball” as a single plant ball has just 4% of the climate contribution of the usual meatball, meaning that one meatball has the same climate footprint of 24 plant balls.

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The plant balls also join IKEA’s ever-expanding veggie range, which now comprises nearly 50% of its menu.

Speaking on the launch of the new plant balls, Hege Sæbjørnsen, Country Sustainability Manager, IKEA UK and Ireland, said: “At IKEA, we are committed to having a positive impact on people and the planet. In order to reduce the climate footprint of the total IKEA business, including our food business, and make climate friendly, delicious food available for everyone, we are making sure meat alternatives are an easy, desireable and affordable choice.”

“With the new plant ball we can now offer meat lovers a great tasting, more sustainable alternative – without compromising on the IKEA meatball experience that is loved by so many.”

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If you’re keen to try them out, the new plant balls will be available to get your hands on from IKEA bistros for £1.50 (x8 balls) from 3rd August, and you’ll also be able to buy bags of plant balls from the food market to cook and serve at home, where a 500g bag will be £2.75.

If you’re looking for the IKEA dine-in experience though? Well you’ll just have to wait until 26th October when they’ll be rolled out in restaurants nationwide.

For more information, visit the IKEA UK & Ireland website here.

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Morrisons introduces new quiet hours to make stores less ‘overwhelming’ for shoppers

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

Morrisons has decided to extend its popular ‘Quieter Hour’ across the UK to help make its stores less “overwhelming” for shoppers.

Introduced earlier this month to mark World Autism Acceptance Week, and in a bid to turn what can be a daunting task for many people into “a calmer and more enjoyable experience”, the supermarket chain has announced an extension to its already popular initiative by adding new ‘Quieter Hours’ during weekday afternoons.

In case you weren’t aware, Morrisons first introduced its Quieter Hour all the way back in July 2018, and has been welcoming people who may struggle supermarket shopping environments through its doors ever since.

The initiative – which initially took place between 9am and 10am on a Saturday, and for the first hour of trade on a Sunday – originally began as part of the National Autistic Society’s ‘Autism Hour campaign’, after it was found that some neurodiverse people, including those with autism, can find shopping in a supermarket “overwhelming”.

Morrisons has introduced new quiet hours to make stores less ‘overwhelming’ for shoppers / Credit: Morrisons

Supermarkets can lead many people to experience increased sensitivity to light and sound, such as loud music, bright lights, and busy environments, and in turn, this can cause anxiety or, in some of the worst cases, even physical pain.

But now, after the trial has proved to be so successful and well-received, Morrisons has made the decision to extended the initiative to weekdays too, as well as weekends – with ‘Quieter Hours’ now also running every week from Monday to Thursday between 2-3pm.

The company says the extension is all with the aim of “helping even more customers”.

During ‘Quieter Hours’, Morrisons stores operate lower levels of lighting, turn music and radios off, avoid making tannoy announcements, reduce movement of trolleys and baskets, and turn checkout beeps and other electrical noises down.

“The weekly shop can be a daunting task for those who may struggle with noises associated with it,” commented Charlotte Exell, who is the Business Sponsor of Ability at Morrisons.

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“At Morrisons, we are always looking for more ways to support customers, and as the Quieter Hour is incredibly popular in our stores across the nation, we have listened to customers and will now help more shoppers in our extended times.”

Featured Image – Morrisons

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Freddos are on sale for 10p at UK supermarkets for the first time in nearly 20 years

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

It’s happening… it’s finally happening.

We never thought we’d see this again, but for the first time in nearly two whole decades, you can now walk into supermarkets across the UK and pick yourself up a Cadbury Freddo for the price of just 10p.

While it may sound a little too good to be true, due to the fact that the beloved chocolate treat has been creeping up in price for the past 19 years, and has very much gone onto become a classic British reference point for the state of inflation and the rising cost of living crisis, we couldn’t be happier to confirm it is.

But, of course, there is a bit of catch (because isn’t there always).

For anyone looking to get their hands on a slashed-price Freddo – which we imagine will be the vast majority of people reading this – you unfortunately won’t be able to pop into any supermarket, as the 10p offer is exclusive to Sainsbury’s and you’ll need a Nectar card to be eligible for it too.

Sainsbury’s announced the return of the 10p Freddo across its official social media platforms this morning, and as you’d expect, shoppers are absolutely losing their minds over it.

The caption of the now-viral post reads: “Some things from the mid 2000s should NEVER come back, but this is not one of them.

“Head to any Sainsbury’s superstore to pick up a Freddo for just 10p with your nectar card.”

Sadly, not only is this unmissable Freddo offer exclusive to Sainsbury’s for Nectar card-holders, it’s also only available in Sainsbury’s superstores too, meaning you won’t be able to find the cheap frog-shaped chocolate bars in little Sainsbury’s Local outlets.

The offer is also only for a very limited time too, as it’s available to make the most of from today (17 April) up until next Tuesday 23 April.

Freddos are on sale for 10p at Sainsbury’s for the first time in nearly 20 years / Credit: Sainsbury’s | The Manc Group

Thankfully, Freddos are the only chocolate treats that Sainsbury’s has slashed the price of currently.

As a way of celebrating the iconic confectionary company‘s 200th birthday this year, the supermarket has also put offers on a wide range of other products.

Dairy Milk bars, multipacks of Fudge, Curly Wurlys, and Flakes, Dairy Milk Trays, Chocolate Finger biscuits, and Mini Roll cake bars are the other much-loved Cadbury products currently on sale with up to 30% off their marked price.

Rachel Clark, who is the Director of Grocery for Sainsbury’s, said on the supermarket’s current Cadbury offers: “We’re delighted to be celebrating such an iconic moment for Cadbury, and its milestone of 200 years as a loved chocolate brand. We know that our customers love Cadbury so we’re very excited to be offering market-leading prices across selected Cadbury products, with savings of up to 60% off with Nectar Prices.”

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Keen to treat yourself to some cut-price chocolate this week then?

All existing Nectar customers need to do is scan their app or swipe their card at the Sainsbury’s checkout to save some pennies.

Featured Image – The Manc Group

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