The daily showed images of catalogues distributed in Saudi Arabia and other countries displaying identical interiors of kitchens and other products but from which women had been removed in the Saudi version.

Women are not allowed to vote or drive in Saudi Arabia, though King Abdullah last year announced a reform that should allow women to vote from 2015.

Swedish Trade Minister Ewa Bjorling refrained from criticising Ikea outright but told Metro: "You can't airbrush women from reality.

"These images are yet another lamentable example of how much remains to be done concerning gender equality in Saudi Arabia," she said.

Metro also showed an example of a female model replaced by a man, and noted that a female designer had been edited out of the Saudi catalogue.

A spokesman for Ikea, Ylva Magnusson, said the company has a "clear position concerning gender equality" but that the catalogue had been designed by an external franchise owner that operates Ikea stores in Saudi Arabia.

Franchises are handled by a Dutch group, Inter Ikea Systems.