Ikea was offering shoppers a steak with fries for only €2.50 - a fraction of the price you'd pay in your local café, and nothing like the €145 charged (for two, admittedly) in Peter Goossens' Hof Van Cleve.

But farmers took exception and brought a complaint before the inspectors of the federal economics ministry. Belgian law prohibits what is called "dumping" - selling something at retail for less than the price you paid for it.

Farmers are having a tough time getting prices for their wares that allow them to even make back production costs, let alone make a profit. Whoever was selling steak at the prices Ikea was paying must be operating at a loss. Besides which, public pressure to keep food prices down was made worse by an expectation that a steak could be had for loose change.

The price was "a slap in the face" to the farming industry, said Piet Vanthemsche, president of the Boerenbond. At the same time, Horeca Vlaanderen, which represents the restaurant industry, complained that Ikea was competing unfairly with its members, who do not have the purchasing muscle the giant chain has.

Ikea was happy to open up their books: the beef was of Belgian origin, and Ikea had paid a wholesale price of €9.77 a kilo. The steak on the plate weighed 150g, so Ikea was paying €1.46 for each serving, allowing a reasonable €1.04 over for a portion of frietjes and a dollop (or dølløp) of sauce.

In any case, the inspectors said, selling meals is a service, while the law only relates to the sale of goods. The complaint was rejected.

The promotion, in any case, is over. The Ikea restaurants are now instead offering those famous meatballs with fries for €1.50, or fish and chips for €1.