After serving as an environment secretary in Mr Blair's cabinet, his ascent continued when Mr Brown took over and he became foreign secretary, at the relatively tender age of 43.
The study author, a senior analyst at the EPA's National Center for Environment Economics, was subsequently removed from his position after serving for 38 years.
Ikea said it was "committed to serving and selling high quality food that is safe, healthy and produced with care for the environment and the people who produce it".