This article is more than 2 years old

This article is more than 2 years old

Ikea is calling for households to join its latest joint venture – a collective energy switch that promises an exclusive 100% renewable electricity tariff.

The furniture retailer has joined forces with the “Big Clean Switch” campaign to use a collective switch to secure cheaper green power for the households that sign up.

The two companies claim it will save a typical UK household £300 a year in lower gas and electricity bills.

Big Clean Switch describes itself as a “profit with purpose” company that helps people move to renewable electricity providers. Its website only list tariffs where the supplier can guarantee that 100% of the electricity sold is matched from renewables such as sun, wind and water.

Those interested in possibly switching as part of the scheme should register at bigcleanswitch.org/ikea.

Big Clean Switch will then negotiate the best deal it can with green suppliers, at which point customers can choose to sign up. The prices will be announced on 6 March.

Hege Sæbjørnsen, Ikea’s sustainability manager, says that by linking up in this way, “we hope to make switching to renewable electricity simple, accessible and affordable to everyone”.

For every switch, Ikea will receive a commission payment, which will support local community initiatives within each store’s area.

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It remains to be seen whether this big switch will undercut the cheapest 100% green electricity suppliers already available.

Anyone can switch to a green supplier via a comparison site – Guardian Money favours Engergyhelpline.com. Make sure to tick the “whole of market” option.

Tonik is one of the cheapest green suppliers at the moment. People’s Energy is another.

Consumers have nothing to lose by registering with the Ikea initiative, but will have to decide when the prices are announced whether this is better than the deals on offer.

In the past, some collective switches have been “best in market” offering big savings, but others have not.