"Aroma" sofas in a choice of rose, lavender or vanilla will go on sale here later this month, said a spokesman for manufacturer Contour Mobel, part of Hillsdown Holdings Christie-Tyler furniture group.

Costing from 2000 pounds ($3,307), Contour sofas or armchairs emit fragrance whenever their cushions are plumped. The loose covers can be washed up to 20 times before the scent disappears.

"The potential for scented products is enormous. Scents are very evocative and appeal to our emotions and we think there is definitely a market out there," the Contour spokesman told Reuters.

Shoppers browsing in the furniture department of the John Lewis Partnership department store in London's Oxford Street were bemused by the idea of scented furniture.

"I want my home to smell natural," said one. "Why on earth would anyone want a sofa that smells?" asked another. But estate agent Sue Ashworth said :"Ithink it's a great idea. My sofa smells of the dog and my husband's socks, so anything would be a vast improvement."

Scented clothing, hosiery and even car tyres are familiar in Japan but until now Britons have been more concerned with masking bad smells than actively creating pleasant ones.

Interior designer Lesley Hill noted a shift in consumer attitudes towards the home over the last few years.

There has been a move to more sensual living with people buying more fresh flowers, scented candles and aromatherapy products so that the home not only looks good but smells good too.

Marcus Mitchell, head of marketing at branding consultancy CLK, said: "Our sense of smell is perhaps the most powerful of all the senses and so it's not surprising that marketers are looking at new ways of tapping into this."

Second hand car dealers often use leather-scented sprays to make potential buyers think the cars on offer are more luxurious than they really are, he noted.

Other fragranced products launched recentlyinclude scented underwear and perfumed evening dresses by French haute couture designer Olivier Lapidus.

Crabtree and Evelyn, maker of scented toiletries, plan to launch cooking aroma sprays. The range includes "Summer Salads" and "Patisserie" which the company says smells of home baking.

"The Patisserie fragrance is particularly recommended for those selling those selling their flat or house. The warm and comforting scent of freshly baked bread is said to influence the minds of potential buyers," said a spokeswoman.

Retailers have also experimented with in-store scents -some use essence of bergamot which is said to be stimulating and others use relaxing lavender scents to soothe harassed shoppers. Travel agents have tried coconut oil to get people into a holiday mood and banks and building societies have introduced "sea breeze" aromas.