From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to: navigation, search This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (July 2013) !"#

Type Industry Founded Founder(s) Headquarters Area served

Private $etail %lmhult, &'eden ()*+,ngvar !amprad .eiden, /etherlands "urope #sia /orth #merica 0ceania Peter #gnef12ll (3hairman and 3"0&elf4assembly furniture 567.869 billion (6:)6-;)< 5,.+96 billion (6:)6-;)< 5,.6:6 billion (6:)6-;)< 5++.7+9 billion (6:)6-;)< 56*.:76 billion (6:)6-;)< &tichting /=!# Foundation ),*,::: (6:)6-;6< '''.ikea.com

Key people Products Revenue Operating income et income Total assets Total equity O!ner(s) "mployees #e$site

IK"A (>aki?>@ &'edish: ;kea<;,<- is a &'edish company registered in the /etherlands that designs and sells ready4to4assemble furniture (such as beds, chairs and desks-, appliances and home accessories. #s of January 6::9, the company is the 'orldAs largest furniture retailer.;+< Founded in &'eden in )*+, by )74year4old, ngvar !amprad, 'ho 'as listed as one of the 'orldAs richest people in 6:),, ;B< the companyAs name is an acronym that consists of the initials of, Ingvar Kamprad, "lmtaryd (the farm 'here he gre' up-, and Agunnaryd (his hometo'n in &mCland, south &'eden-.;8< The company is kno'n for its modern architectural designs for various types of appliances and furniture, and its interior design 'ork is often associated 'ith an eco4friendly simplicity. ;7< n addition, the firm is kno'n for its attention to cost control, operational details, and continuous product development, corporate attributes that allo'ed !"# to lo'er its

prices by an average of t'o to three percent over the decade to 6:): during a period of global eDpansion. #s of January 6:)+, !"# o'ns and operates ,+* stores in +, countries. ;9< n fiscal year 6:):, U&E6,.) billion 'orth of goods 'ere sold, a total that represented a 7.7 percent increase over 6::*.;*< The !"# 'ebsite contains about )6,::: products and is the closest representation of the entire !"# range. There 'ere over +7: million visitors to !"#As 'ebsites in the year from &eptember 6::7 to &eptember 6::9. ;):< # July 6:), media report speculated that !"# is the 'orldAs largest consumer of 'ood after a finding that the company uses )F of the "arthAs 'ood supply.;))<

%ontents
;hide<

) Gistory 6 &tore design o 6.) .ayout o 6.6 Food markets o 6., &mCland , Products and services o ,.) Furniture o ,.6 Gouses and flats o ,., Family Hobile o ,.+ Hanufacturing o ,.B Product names o ,.8 3atalogue o ,.7 !"# Family loyalty card + 3orporate structure o +.) Profits o +.6 3ontrol by !amprad o +., 3haritable giving B !"# &ocial nitiative 8 "nvironmental performance 7 3ommunity impact 9 3riticisms o 9.) Use of forced labor o 9.6 Ierdana typeface * #dvertising ): 0ther ventures )) #'ards )6 $eferences ), "Dternal links

History&edit'

Hain article: .ist of countries 'ith !"# stores

# map of !"# stores around "arth.

The first !"# store, located in %lmhult in &'eden, not far from 'here the founder 'as born.

The 'orldAs largest !"# store, situated at !ungens !urva in Guddinge Hunicipality, &'eden. This !"# store 'as opened in )*8B.

!"# store in Frisco, TeDas, United &tates.

!"# store at Port sland in !obe, Japan, one of the very fe' !"# stores 'ith direct mass transit access.

"ntrance to an !"# store at the +th floor of HegaJoD in !o'loon Jay, Gong !ong.

#n IKEA 4.5 Museum display at the outer precinct of the Hei1i &hrine in Tokyo, Japan. The first ()$el*IK+A store 'as opened in %lmhult, &mCland in )*B9,;*< 'hile the first stores outside &'eden 'ere opened in /or'ay ()*8,- and Kenmark ()*8*-. The stores spread to other parts of "urope in the )*7:s, 'ith the first store outside &candinavia opening in &'itLerland ()*7,-, follo'ed by =ermany ()*7+-. #mid a high level of success, the companyAs =erman eDecutives accidentally opened a store in !onstanL in )*7, instead of !oblenL.;*< .ater that decade, stores opened in other parts of the 'orld, such as Japan ()*7+-, #ustralia and Gong !ong ()*7B-, 3anada ()*78-, and &ingapore ()*79-.;citation needed< !"# further eDpanded in the )*9:s, opening stores in countries such as France and &pain ()*9)-, 3anada ()*96-, Jelgium ()*9+-, the United &tates ()*9B-, the United !ingdom ()*97-, and taly ()*9*-. ;citation needed< The company then eDpanded into more countries in the )**:s and 6:::s. =ermany, 'ith ++ stores, is !"#As biggest market, follo'ed by the United &tates, 'ith ,7 stores. #t the

end of the 6::* financial year, the !"# group operated 687 stores in 6B countries. ;)6< The first !"# store in .atin #merica opened on )7 February 6:): in &anto Komingo, Kominican $epublic.;),<;)+< #s of July 6:),, the companyAs presence in developing countries remains minimal. The 'orldAs five largest !"# stores are: ). 6. ,. +. B. &tockholm !ungens !urva, &'eden: BB,6:: m6 (B*+,::: sM ft&hanghai Jaoshan, 3hina: BB,:,6 m6 (B*6,,8: sM ft&hanghai Pudong Jeicai, 3hina: +*,+:: m6 (B,6,::: sM ftWuDi, 3hina: +*,))7 m6 (B69,8*: sM ft/ingbo, 3hina: +7,B:B m6 (B)),,+: sM ft-

The largest store in the &outhern Gemisphere is located in Tempe, &ydney, #ustralia 'ith a total area of ,*,::: m6 (+6:,::: sM ft-.;)B< The biggest store in /orth #merica is located in Hontreal, in the province of Nuebec, 3anada. The store 'as opened in )*98 in the Iille4&t4.aurent area, and 'as completely renovated and eDpanded in 6:)646:),. Juilt in )*98, the storeAs initial area 'as 66,:86 m6 (6,7,+7: sM ft-, 'hile the renovated store no' measures +,,8,8 m6 (+8*,8*: sM ft-. Jy the end of 6:),, !"# planned to open its first 'arehouse in 3roatia, near Oagreb.;)8< Kue to problems 'ith building permissions, the construction started on 69 #ugust 6:), and is planned to be finished in mid46:)+. ;)7< The ad1acent shopping centre, 'hich 'ill be completed in 6:)B, 'ill be one of the B biggest in "urope and among the ): biggest !"# stores in the 'orld.;)9<;)9<;)*<;6:< n 6:),, !"# opened its first shopping centre in Iilnius, .ithuania that is the biggest furniture4selling mall in Jaltic states.;6)< n Harch 6:),, !"# opened its first outlet in Natar, after a delay of several months. ;66< .ike others in the =33, the Koha outlet is operated by the #l4Futtaim =roup. ;6,< n Hay 6:),, the demolition of the vacant Herriam Iillage &hopping 3enter in Johnson 3ounty, !ansas 'as carried out in preparation for the construction of an !"# store that 'ill measure approDimately +::,::: sM ft (,7,::: m6-Pat the time of the demolition, the company claimed that 8:,::: !"# customers eDisted in the !ansas 3ity area. ;6+< n #ugust 6:),, the first store in the Jaltic &tates 'as opened in the Iilnius region of .ithuania. 3onstruction of the 68,B:: sM ft (6,B:: m6- store commenced in 6:)) and the store employs over 6:: people.;6B< !"# announced on + Kecember 6:),, a ne' ,9*,::: sMuare foot store 'ill begin construction in 6:)+ in &t. .ouis, Hissouri in the cityAs Hidto'n Kistrict.;68<

,tore design&edit'
-ayout&edit'
0lder !"# stores are usually very large blue buildings 'ith yello' accents (also &'edenAs national colours- and fe' 'indo's. They are often designed in a one4'ay layout, leading customers counter clock'ise along 'hat !"# calls Qthe long natural

'ayQ designed to encourage the customer to see the store in its entirety (as opposed to a traditional retail store, 'hich allo's a customer to go directly to the section 'here the goods and services needed are displayed-. There are often shortcuts to other parts of the sho'room. /e'er !"# stores, like the one in HRnchengladbach, =ermany, make more use of glass, both for aesthetics and functionality. &kylights are also no' common in the self4serve 'arehouses@ natural lighting reduces energy costs, improves 'orker morale and gives a better impression of the product. The seMuence first involves going through furniture sho'rooms making note of selected items. The customer then collects a shopping cart and proceeds to an open4shelf QHarket GallQ 'arehouse for smaller items, then visiting the Q&elf &erveQ furniture 'arehouse to collect previously noted sho'room products in flat pack form. &ometimes, they are directed to collect products from an eDternal 'arehouse on the same site or at a site nearby after purchase. Finally, customers pay for their products at a cash register. Today, most stores follo' the same layout of having the sho'room upstairs 'ith the marketplace and self4service 'arehouse do'nstairs. &ome stores are single level, 'hile others have separate 'arehouses to allo' more stock to be kept on4site. &ingle4level stores are found predominantly in areas 'here the cost of land 'ould be less than the cost of building a 64level store, such as the &aarlouis, =ermany and Gaparanda, &'eden locations. &ome stores have dual4level 'arehouses 'ith machine4controlled silos to allo' large Muantities of stock to be accessed throughout the selling day. Host !"# stores offer an Qas4isQ area at the end of the 'arehouse, 1ust before the cash registers. $eturned, damaged and formerly sho'cased products are displayed here and sold 'ith a significant discount, but also 'ith a no4returns policy. Host !"# stores communicate the !"# policy on environmental issues in this part of the store. The area, 'hich is painted red, is named according to local customs, in the United !ingdom this is referred to as QJargain 3ornerQ, in &'eden QFS/KQ (Jargains- and in Kenmark, Q$odebutikkenQ ($ummage boutiMue-. n Gong !ong, 'here shop space is limited and costly, !"# has opened three outlets across the city, most of 'hich have the one4'ay layout. They are part of shopping malls, and 'hile being tiny compared to common store design, are huge by Gong !ong standards. The vast ma1ority of !"# stores are located outside of city centres, primarily because of land cost and traffic access. &everal smaller store formats have been unsuccessfully tested in the past (the QmidiQ concept in the early A*:s, 'hich 'as tested in 0tta'a and Geerlen 'ith *,,:: m6 ()::,::: sM ft-, or a QboutiMueQ shop in Hanhattan-. # ne' format for a full4siLe, city centre store 'as introduced 'ith the opening of the 3oventry (United !ingdom- store in Kecember 6::7. The store has seven floors and a different flo' from other kea stores. !"#As &outhampton store 'hich opened in February 6::* is also in the city centre and built in an urban style similar to the 3oventry store. !"# built these store in response to U! government restrictions blocking retail establishment outside city centres.;67<

#nother feature of !"# stores is their long opening hours. Hany stores are in operation 6+ hours a day 'ith restocking and maintenance being carried out throughout the night. Public opening hours tend to be much longer than most other retailers, 'ith stores open 'ell into the evening in many countries. n the U!, almost all stores are open past 9pm and open around *am to ):am. !"# &audi #rabia stores have some of the longest opening hours 'orld'ide being open from ):am to midnight, 7 days a 'eek.

Food mar.ets&edit'
"very store includes a restaurant serving traditional &'edish food, including potatoes 'ith &'edish meatballs, cream sauce and lingonberry 1am, although there are variations. n !uala .umpur, Halaysia the usual boiled potatoes have been s'itched to French fries. Jesides these &'edish foods, hot dogs and drinks are also sold, along 'ith a fe' varieties of the local cuisine, and beverages such as lingonberry 1uice. #lso items such as prinsesst rta (princess cake- are sold as desserts. !"# stores in &audi #rabia, !u'ait, Natar and the United #rab "mirates serve chicken sha'arma at the eDit cafT as 'ell as beef hot dogs, 'hile in United !ingdom, a Nuorn hot dog is available in the eDit cafT.;69< n many locations, the !"# restaurants open daily before the rest of the store and serve an ineDpensive breakfast. n 3anada, this breakfast includes eggs, sausage and hash bro'ns and various add4ons like bacon and pancakes at additional costs. n the United &tates, the local variation serves scrambled eggs, bacon, country potatoes and choice of &'edish pancakes or French toast sticks. n the /etherlands, it consists of a croissant, a small bread roll, butter or margarine, 1am, a slice of cheese, a boiled egg and coffee or tea. n #ustralia, it consists of hash bro'n, bacon, scrambled eggs, a sausage and tomato, 'ith a vegetarian option 'ith baked beans 'hich omits the sausage and bacon. ;6*<;,:<;,)< n =ermany, this breakfast consists of t'o bread rolls, one slice of smoked salmon, one slice of cheese, one slice of salami, t'o portions of butter, one portion of 1am, and coffee. $efills of coffee, tea, and soft drinks are, as is traditional in &'eden, free of charge, even in countries 'here this is uncommon. n #ustria, !"# restaurants offer a free refill policy for soft drinks, a practice that is other'ise unkno'n in #ustria. "very store also has a &'edish Food Harket that, until 6:)), sold branded &'edish prepared specialist foods, for eDample as meatballs, packages of gravy, lingonberry 1am, various biscuits and crackers, as 'ell as salmon and fish roe spread. .ater !"# replaced most of the branded foods together eDtended its product range 'ith the introduction of the !"# food label. The ne' label has various different foods including chocolates, meatballs, 1ams, pancakes, salmon and various drinks. #ll !"# food products are based on &'edish recipes and traditions. The ma1ority of the food production still takes place in &'eden by small, medium and large manufacturers, like =unnar KafgCrd #J, 'hich make its meatballs.

,m/land&edit'
"very store has a play area, named &mCland (&'edish for small lands@ it is also the &'edish province 'here !amprad 'as born-. Parents drop off their children at a gate to

the playground, and pick them up after they arrive at another entrance. n some stores, parents are given free pagers by the on4site staff, 'hich the staff can use to summon parents 'hose children need them earlier than eDpected@ in others, staff summon parents through announcements over the in4store public address system.

Products and services&edit'

Furniture&edit'
$ather than being sold pre4assembled, much of !"#As furniture is designed to be self4 assembled. The company claims that this helps reduce costs and use of packaging by not shipping air@ the volume of a bookcase, for eDample, is considerably less if it is shipped unassembled rather than assembled. This is also practical for many of the chainAs "uropean customers, 'here public transport is commonly used, and the flat4pack methods allo'ing for easier transport via public transportation. !"# contends that it has been a pioneering force in sustainable approaches to mass consumer culture.;citation needed<. !amprad calls this Qdemocratic design,Q meaning that the company applies an integrated approach to manufacturing and design (see also environmental design-. n response to the eDplosion of human population and material eDpectations in the 6:th and 6)st century, the company implements economies of scale, capturing material streams and creating manufacturing processes that hold costs and resource use do'n, such as the eDtensive use of HKF (medium4density fiberboard-. HKF, often called Qparticle boardQ, is engineered 'ood fibre glued under heat and pressure to create a building material of superior strength 'hich is resistant to 'arp. !"# uses cabinet4grade and furniture4grade HKF in all of its HKF products, such as P#U 'ardrobes and kitchen cupboards. !"# also uses 'ood, plastic, and other materials for furniture and other products. The intended result is fleDible, adaptable home furnishings, scalable both to smaller homes and d'ellings as 'ell as large houses. /ot all furniture is stocked at the store level, such as particular sofa colours needing to be shipped from a 'arehouse to the customerAs home (for a delivery charge-. The item can also be shipped from the 'arehouse to the store. &ome stores charge an eDtra fee for this service, but not all.;clari!ication needed<

Houses and flats&edit'

!"# has also eDpanded its product base to include flat4pack houses, in an effort to cut prices involved in a first4time buyerAs home. The product, named Jo!lok 'as launched in &'eden in )**8 in a 1oint venture 'ith &kanska. /o' 'orking in the /ordic countries and in the U!, sites confirmed in "ngland include .ondon, #shton4under4.yne, .eeds, =ateshead, Warrington and .iverpool.;,6< #t the end of &eptember 6:),, the company announced that solar panel packages for houses 'ill be sold at )7 U! stores by the end of July 6:)+. The decision follo'ed a successful pilot pro1ect at the .akeside !"# store, 'hereby one photovoltaic (PI-

system 'as sold almost every day. The panels are manufactured by a 3hinese company named Ganergy Golding =roup .td.;,,<;,+<

Family (o$ile&edit'
Hain article: !"# Family Hobile 0n 9 #ugust 6::9, !"# U! launched Family Hobile, a virtual mobile phone net'ork, running on T4Hobile.

(anufacturing&edit'
#lthough !"# household products and furniture are designed in &'eden, they are largely manufactured in developing countries to keep costs do'n. 3hina accounts for about 6V times as much supply as &'eden. For most of its products, the final assembly is performed by the end4user (consumer-. &'ed'ood, an !"# subsidiary, handles production of all of the companyAs 'ood4based products, 'ith the largest &'ed'ood factory located in &outhern Poland. #ccording to the subsidiary, over )8,::: employees across B: different sites in ): countries manufacture the ):: million pieces of furniture that !"# sells annually. !"# furniture uses the hard'ood alternative particle board and Gultsfred, a factory in southern &'eden, is the companyAs sole supplier.;))<

Product names&edit'
!"# products are identified by one4'ord (rarely t'o4'ord- names. Host of the names are &candinavian in origin. #lthough there are some eDceptions, most product names are based on a special naming system developed by !"#.;,B<

"p#olstered !urniture$ co!!ee ta%les$ rattan !urniture$ %oo&s#el'es$ media stora(e$ door&no%s) &'edish placenames (for eDample: !lippan*eds$ +ardro%es$ #all !urniture) /or'egian place names ,inin( ta%les and c#airs) Finnish place names *oo&case ran(es) 0ccupations *at#room articles) &candinavian lakes, rivers and bays Kitc#ens) grammatical terms, sometimes also other names -#airs$ des&s) menAs names .a%rics$ curtains) 'omenAs names /arden !urniture) &'edish islands -arpets) Kanish place names 0i(#tin() terms from music, chemistry, meteorology, measures, 'eights, seasons, months, days, boats, nautical terms *edlinen$ %ed co'ers$ pillo+s1cus#ions) flo'ers, plants, precious stones -#ildren2s items) mammals, birds, ad1ectives -urtain accessories) mathematical and geometrical terms

Kitc#en utensils) foreign 'ords, spices, herbs, fish, mushrooms, fruits or berries, functional descriptions *o3es$ +all decoration$ pictures and !rames$ cloc&s) colloMuial eDpressions, also &'edish place names

For eDample, ,"K4I/ (meaning: good, 'ell4behaved- is a line of childrenAs toys, 5605 is a name of a bed, *I007 (a &'edish masculine name- is a popular bookcase, ,I8E9A (meaning: (to- dine- for table'are, KA66E44 (meaning: cassette- for media storage. 0ne range of office furniture is named E..EK4I: (meaning: efficient, effective-, 6K;9<4 (meaning: sharp or clever- is a line of kitchen knives. # notable eDception is the I:A9 shelving system, 'hich dates back to the early )*7:s. This item is named after the itemAs designer. &ome of !"#As &'edish product names have amusing or unfortunate connotations in other languages, sometimes resulting in the names being 'ithdra'n in certain countries. /otable eDamples for "nglish include the QJerkerQ computer desk (discontinued several years ago as of 6:),-, QFuktaQ plant spray, QFartfullQ 'orkbench,;,8< and Q.yckhemQ (meaning bliss-. !itchen legs are called F#!TUH (called #!U$UH in the United &tates-. The latest addition is the ne' Q#skholmenQ outdoor suite. &imilar blunders happen 'ith other multinational companies.;,7< 3ompany founder !amprad, 'ho is dysleDic, found that naming the furniture 'ith proper names and 'ords, rather than a product code, made the names easier to remember. ;,9< !"# uses a sales techniMue called Qbulla bullaQ in 'hich a bunch of items are purposefully 1umbled in bins, to create the impression of volume, and therefore, ineDpensiveness.;*<

%atalogue&edit'
Hain article: !"# 3atalogue

6:)+ catalogue !"# publishes an annual catalogue, first published in &'edish in )*B).;,*< !"# published )*7 million catalogues in 6:):, in t'enty languages and siDty4one editions. ;*< t is considered to be the main marketing tool of the retail giant, consuming 7:F of the companyAs annual marketing budget.;+:<

The catalogue is distributed both in stores and by mail, ;+)< 'ith most of it being produced by !"# 3ommunications #J in !"#As hometo'n of %lmhult, &'eden 'here !"# operates the largest photo studio in northern "urope at 9,::: sMuare metres. ;+6< The catalogue itself is printed on chlorine4free paper of ):W)BF post4consumer 'aste, and prints approDimately )7B million copies 'orld'ide annually, ;+,< more than , times as much as the Jible.;++< #ccording to 3anadian broadcaster, 3TI, Q !"#As publications have developed an almost cult4like follo'ing online. $eaders have found all kinds of strange tidbits, including mysterious cat pictures, apparent Hickey House references and 'eird books 'edged into the many shelves that clutter the catalogues.Q The 6:), catalogue is smartphone compatible, containing videos and photo galleries that can be accessed via an app by scanning the catalogueAs pages, 'hile the 6:)+ catalog incorporates an augmented reality app that pro1ects an item into a real4time photograph image of the userAs room. The augmented reality app also provides an indication of the scale of !"# ob1ects in relation to the userAs living environment.;+B<

IK"A Family loyalty card&edit'

!"# Family card, issued in 3anada, ca. 6:)6 n common 'ith some other retailers, !"# has launched a loyalty card called Q !"# familyQ. The card is free of charge and can be used to obtain discounts on a special range of products found in each !"# store. n con1unction 'ith the card, !"# also publishes and sells a printed Muarterly magaLine titled IKEA .amily 0i'e 'hich supplements the card and catalogue. The magaLine is already printed in thirteen languages and an "nglish edition for the United !ingdom 'as launched in February 6::7. t is eDpected to have a subscription of over B::,:::.;+8< !"# Family, as other loyalty cards allo' for lo'er prices. The main, generally unusual difference is that it allo' for free tea or coffee (from Honday to Friday at most locationsat kea restaurant.;+7<;+9<

%orporate structure&edit'
Hain articles: &tichting /=!# Foundation, !#/0, and ngvar !amprad

!"# in #thens, =reece

!"# #nagnina in $ome, taly

!"# in Khahran, &audi #rabia

!"# T'in 3ities in Jloomington, Hinnesota, U&# !"# is o'ned and operated by a complicated array of not4for4profit and for4profit corporations. The corporate structure is divided into t'o main parts: operations and franchising. Host of !"#As operations, including the management of the ma1ority of its stores, the design and manufacture of its furniture, and purchasing and supply functions are overseen by /=!# Golding, a private, for4profit Kutch company. 0f the !"# stores in ,8 countries, ,:) are run by the /=!# Golding. The remaining +7 stores are run by franchisees outside of the /=!# Golding, 'ith the eDception of !"# Kelft 'hich is not franchised.;+*< /=!# Golding is not an independent company, but is 'holly o'ned by the &tichting ngka Foundation, 'hich !amprad established in )*96 in the /etherlands as a taD4 eDempt, not4for4profit foundation. The ngka Foundation is controlled by a five4member eDecutive committee that is chaired by !amprad and includes his 'ife and attorney. ;B:< While most !"# stores operate under the direct purvie' of ngka Golding and the ngka Foundation, the !"# trademark and concept is o'ned by an entirely separate Kutch company Inter IK"A ,ystems0 "very !"# store, including those run by ngka Golding, pays a franchise fee of ,F of revenue to nter !"# &ystems. The o'nership of nter !"# &ystems is eDceedingly complicated and not publicly kno'n. nter !"# &ystems is o'ned by nter !"# Golding, a company registered in .uDembourg. nter !"# Golding, in turn, belongs to an identically named company in the former /etherlands #ntilles that is run by a trust company based in 3uraXao.;B:< n 6::* the company in 3uraXao 'as liMuidated and the company responsible for this liMuidation traces back to the nterogo Foundation in .iechtenstein;B)< ngvar !amprad has confirmed that this foundation o'ns nter !"# Golding &.#. in .uDembourg and is controlled by

the !amprad family. ;B6< The !"# food concessions that operate in !"# stores are still directly o'ned by the !amprad family and represent a ma1or part of the familyAs income.
;citation needed<

n #ustralia, !"# is operated by t'o companies. &tores located on the "ast 3oast including Nueensland, /e' &outh Wales and Iictoria are o'ned by /=!# Golding. &tores else'here in the country including &outh #ustralia and Western #ustralia are o'ned by 3ebas Pty .td.;B,< .ike else'here, all stores are operated under a franchise agreement 'ith nter !"# &ystems.;B+< n June 6:),, ngvar !amprad resigned from the board of nter !"# Golding &# and his youngest son Hathias !amprad replaced Per .udvigsson as the chairman of the holding company. Follo'ing his decision to step do'n, the 974year4old founder eDplained, Q see this as a good time for me to leave the board of nter !"# =roup. Jy that 'e are also taking another step in the generation shift that has been ongoing for some years.Q Hathias and his t'o older brothers, 'ho also have leadership roles at !"#, 'ork on the corporationAs overall vision and long4term strategy.;BB<

Profits&edit'
The net profit of !"# =roup ('hich does not include nter !"# systems- in fiscal year 6::* (after paying franchise fees to nter !"# systems- 'as 56.B,9 billion on sales of 56).9+8 billion. Jecause /=!# Golding is o'ned by the nonprofit /=!# Foundation, none of this profit is taDed. The foundationAs nonprofit status also means that the !amprad family cannot reap these profits directly, but the !amprads do collect a portion of !"# sales profits through the franchising relationship bet'een /=!# Golding and nter !"# &ystems. nter !"# &ystems collected 58,) million of franchise fees in 6::+, but reported pre4taD profits of only 566B million in 6::+. 0ne of the ma1or pre4taD eDpenses that nter !"# systems reported 'as 5B*: million of Qother operating chargesQ. !"# has refused to eDplain these charges, but nter !"# &ystems appears to make large payments to . . Golding, another .uDembourg4registered group that, according to 4#e Economist$ Qis almost certain to be controlled by the !amprad family.Q . . Golding made a profit of 5,69 million in 6::+. n 6::+, the nter !"# group of companies and . . Golding reported combined profits of 5BB,m and paid 5)*m in taDes, or approDimately ,.B percent. ;B:< n 6:), the ,aily Mail media publication reported that the !"# subsidiary &'ed'ood had gro'n bet'een 6:46BF per year since its inception in )**).;))< The Jerne Keclaration, a non4profit organisation in &'itLerland that promotes corporate responsibility, has formally criticised !"# for its taD avoidance strategies. n 6::7, the Jerne Keclaration nominated !"# for one of its Public "ye Qa'ardsQ, 'hich highlight corporate irresponsibility and are announced during the World "conomic Forum in Kavos, &'itLerland.;B8<

n a company statement emailed on )+ 0ctober 6:),, keaAs full4year sales rose ,.) percent due in part to gro'th in $ussia and 3hina. keaAs revenue total rose to U&E,7.* billion (67.* billion euros-, 'ith significant gro'th also recorded in /orth #merica.;B7<

%ontrol $y Kamprad&edit'
#long 'ith helping !"# make non4taDable profit, !"#As complicated corporate structure allo's !amprad to maintain tight control over the operations of ngka Golding, and thus the operation of most !"# stores. The ngka FoundationAs five4person eDecutive committee is chaired by !amprad. t appoints the board of ngka Golding, approves any changes to ngka GoldingAs byla's, and has the right to preempt ne' share issues. f a member of the eDecutive committee Muits or dies, the other four members appoint his or her replacement. n !ampradAs absence the foundationAs byla's include specific provisions reMuiring it to continue operating the ngka Golding group and specifying that shares can be sold only to another foundation 'ith the same ob1ectives as the ngka Foundation.;B:<

%1arita$le giving&edit'
The /=!# Foundation is officially dedicated to promoting Qinnovations in architecture and interior design.Q;B:< With an estimated net 'orth of E,8 billion, the foundation is unofficially the 'orldAs largest charitable organisation, ahead of the much better kno'n Jill and Helinda =ates Foundation, 'hich has a net 'orth of approDimately E,, billion. ;B9< Go'ever, most of the =roupAs profit is spent on investment@ the foundation eDpects to spend 5+B million on charitable giving in 6:): (compare the =ates Foundation, 'hich made gifts of more than E).B billion in 6::B.;B9<!"# is involved in several international charitable causes, particularly in partnership 'ith U/ 3"F, including:

n the 'ake of the 6::+ JoDing Kay tsunami, !"# #ustralia agreed to match dollar for dollar co4'orkersA donations and donated all sales of the !"# Jlue Jag to the cause. #fter the Pakistan earthMuake of 6::8, !"# gave B::,::: blankets to the relief effort in the region;B*< !"# has provided furniture for over ):: Qbridge schoolsQ in .iberia.;8:< n the 6::9 &ichuan earthMuake in 3hina, !"# Jei1ing sold an alligator toy for +: yuan (U&EB.9,, 5,.7:- 'ith all income going to the children in the earthMuake struck area

!"# also supports #merican Forests to restore forests and reduce pollution.;8)<;86<

IK"A ,ocial Initiative&edit'

n &eptember 6::B, !"# &ocial nitiative 'as formed to manage the companyAs social involvements on a global level. !"# &ocial nitiative is headed by Harianne Jarner.

in4store display about the soft toy campaign The main partners to !"# &ocial nitiative are U/ 3"F;8,< and &ave the 3hildren.;8+< 0n 6, February 6::*, at the "30&03 event in /e' Sork, U/ 3"F announced that !"# &ocial nitiative has become the agencyAs largest corporate partner, 'ith total commitments of more than U&E)9: million.;8B<;88< "Damples of involvements:

!"# through !"# &ocial nitiative contribute 5) to U/ 3"F and &ave the 3hildren from each soft toy sold during the holiday seasons, raising a total of 5)8.7 million so far.;87< n 6:),, an !"# soft toy, .ufsig, created a storm and sold out in Gong !ong and in &outhern 3hina because it had been misnamed in 3hinese.;89< !"# &ocial nitiative provided soft toys to children in cyclone affected Jurma.
;8*<

&tarting in June 6::*, for every &unnan solar4po'ered lamp sold in !"# stores 'orld'ide, !"# &ocial nitiative 'ill donate one &unnan 'ith the help of U/ 3"F.;7:< n &eptember 6:)),;7)< the !"# Foundation pledged to donate E86 million to help &omali refugees in !enya.;*< #ccording to 4#e Economist, ho'ever, !"#As charitable giving is meager, Qbarely a rounding error in the foundationAs assets.Q;*<

n 6::*, &'edenAs largest television station, &IT, revealed that !"#As moneyPthe three per cent collection from each storePdoes not actually go to a charitable foundation in the /etherlands, as !"# has said. nter !"# is o'ned by a foundation in .iechtenstein, called nterogo, 'hich has amassed t'elve billion dollars, is controlled by the !amprad family.;*<

"nvironmental performance&edit'

#fter initial environmental issues like the highly publiciLed formaldehyde scandals in the early )*9:s and )**6,;76<;7,<;7+< !"# took a proactive stance on environmental issues and tried to prevent future incidents through a variety of measures. ;7B< n )**:, !"# invited !arl4Genrik $obYrt, founder of the /atural &tep, to address its board of directors. $obertAs system conditions for sustainability provided a strategic approach to improving the companyAs environmental performance. n )**:, !"# adopted the /atural &tep frame'ork as the basis for its environmental plan.;78< This led to the development of an "nvironmental #ction Plan, 'hich 'as adopted in )**6. The plan focused on structural change, allo'ing !"# to QmaDimiLe the impact of resources invested and reduce the energy necessary to address isolated issues.Q;78< The environmental measures taken include the follo'ing: ). $eplacing polyvinylchloride (PI3- in 'allpapers, home teDtiles, sho'er curtains, lampshades and furniturePPI3 has been eliminated from packaging and is being phased out in electric cables@ 6. minimiLing the use of formaldehyde in its products, including teDtiles@ ,. eliminating acid4curing lacMuers@ +. producing a model of chair (0=.#- made from )::F post4consumer plastic 'aste@ B. introducing a series of air4inflatable furniture products into the product line. &uch products reduce the use of ra' materials for framing and stuffing and reduce transportation 'eight and volume to about )BF of that of conventional furniture@ 8. reducing the use of chromium for metal surface treatment@ 7. limiting the use of substances such as cadmium, lead, P3J, P3P, and #Lo pigments@ 9. using 'ood from responsibly managed forests that replant and maintain biological diversity@ *. using only recyclable materials for flat packaging and QpureQ (non4miDedmaterials for packaging to assist in recycling.;78< ):. introducing rental bicycles 'ith trailers for customers in Kenmark.;77< n 6::: !"# introduced its code of conduct for suppliers, called the !"# 'ay of purchasing.... shortened to W#S. Today W#S is a totally integrated part of !"#As purchasing model. W#S covers social, safety and environmental Muestions. Today !"# has around 8: W#S auditors that performs hundreds of supplier audits every year. The main purpose 'ith W#S is to make sure that the !"# suppliers follo's the la' in each country 'here they are based. Host !"# suppliers fulfill the la' today 'ith eDceptions for some special issues, one being eDcessive 'orking hours in #sia, in countries such as 3hina and ndia. Hore recently, !"# has stopped providing plastic bags to customers, but offers reusable bags for sale. The !"# restaurants also only offer reusable plates, knives, forks, spoons, etc. Toilets in some !"# W34rooms have been outfitted 'ith dual4function flushers. !"# has recycling bins for compact fluorescent lamps (3F.s-, energy saving bulbs and batteries. n 6::) !"# 'as one of the first companies to operate its o'n cross4border goods trains through several countries in "urope.;79<

n #ugust 6::9, !"# also announced that it had created !"# =reenTech, a 5B: million venture capital fund. .ocated in .und (a college to'n in &'eden-, it 'ill invest in 9W): companies in the coming five years 'ith focus on solar panels, alternative light sources, product materials, energy efficiency and 'ater saving and purification. The aim is to commercialise green technologies for sale in !"# stores 'ithin ,W+ years.;7*<;9:< n order to make !"# a more sustainable company, a product life cycle 'as created. For the idea stage, products should be flat4packed so that more items can be shipped at once@ products should also be easier to dismantle and recycle. $a' materials are used, and since 'ood and cotton are t'o of !"#As most important manufacturing products, the company 'orks 'ith environmentally friendly forests and cotton, 'hereby the eDcessive use of chemicals and 'ater is avoided.;citation needed< Hanufacturing is third in the life cycle and includes W#S, !"#As code of conduct for manufactures and suppliers that formulates and enforces reMuirements for 'orking conditions, social and environmental standards, and 'hat suppliers can eDpect from !"# in return. Harketing is another part of !"#As life cycle and a portion of the paper used for its catalogues is sourced from responsibly managed forests. The catalogue is also smaller, so that less paper is reMuired, less 'aste is produced and more catalogues can be shipped per load.;citation needed< !"# stores recycle 'aste and many run on rene'able energy 'ith the use of energy4 saving bulbs and sensors. #ll employees are trained in environmental and social responsibility, 'hile public transit is one of the priorities 'hen the location of stores is considered. #lso, the coffee served at !"# stores is certified organic.;citation needed< The last stage of the life cycle is the end of life. Host !"# stores recycle light bulbs and drained batteries, and the company is also eDploring the recycling of sofas and other home furnishing products. #ccording to !"#As 6:)6 Q&ustainability $eportQ, 6,F, of all 'ood that the company uses meets the standards of the Forest &te'ardship 3ouncil, and the report states that !"# aims to double this percentage by 6:)7. The report also states that !"# does not accept illegally logged 'ood and supports ), World Wide Fund For /ature (WWF- pro1ects.;))< 0n )7 February 6:)), !"# announced its plans to develop a 'ind farm in Kalarna 3ounty, &'eden, furthering its goal of using only rene'able energy to fuel its operations. ;9)< #s of June 6:)6, )7 United &tates (U&- !"# stores are po'ered by solar panels, 'ith 66 additional installations in progress.;96< n 6:)), the company eDamined its 'ood consumption and noticed that almost half of its global pine and spruce consumption 'as for the fabrication of pallets. The company conseMuently started a transition to the use of paper pallets and the Q0ptiledge systemQ. ;9,< The 0pti.edge product is totally recyclable, made from )::F virgin high4impact copolymer polypropylene (PP-. The system is a Qunit load alternative to the use of a pallet. The system consists of the 0pti.edge (usually used in pairs-, aligned and strapped to the bottom carton to form a base layer upon 'hich to stack more product. 3orner

boards are used 'hen strapping to minimiLe the potential for package compression.Q The conversion began in =ermany and Japan, before its introduction into the rest of "urope and /orth #merica.;9+< The system has been marketed to other companies, and !"# has formed the 0pti.edge company to manage and sell the product.;9B< !"# has eDpanded its sustainability plan in the U! to include electric car charge points for customers at all locations by the end of 6:),. ;98< The effort 'ill include /issan and "cotricity and promise to deliver an 9:F charge in ,: minutes.;97<

%ommunity impact&edit'
!"#As goals of sustainability and environmental design in their merchandise have sometimes been at odds 'ith the impact a ne' !"# store can have on a community.

n &eptember 6::+, 'hen !"# offered a limited number of free E)B: vouchers at the opening of a ne' store in Jeddah, &audi #rabia, three people 'ere crushed to death in a stampede that follo'ed the storeAs opening.;99<

!"# at #tlantic &tation in #tlanta, =#. !"# has demolished historic buildings,;9*< in at least one case for a parking area. ;*:< (#t the 3ollege Park, Haryland, U&#, store there is an interactive digital display 'hich tells the history of a tavern 'hich used to eDist 'here the store is currently located. !"# 'as refused planning permission for a future store in the United !ingdom in 6::+ (to be based in &tockport, near Hanchester- by the 0ffice of the Keputy Prime Hinister. t applied for 1udicial revie' but lost in 6::B.;*)<;*6< Go'ever, they later received permission to build a store 'ithin the Hanchester area a fe' miles from the originally planned site in #shton4under4.yne.;*,< #n estimated Z):,::: 'as spent on traffic policing, and even more on rerouting traffic from the H8: motor'ay around #shton. #fter vie'ing the )::4foot4tall (,: m- sign of an !"# under construction near Portland nternational #irport, $andy .eonard, the city commissioner in charge of sign permits in Portland, 0regon, placed a moratorium on all pending and future sign permits in the area.;*+<

%riticisms&edit'

#s a teenager, !"# founder ngvar !amprad 'as directly involved in the pro4 /aLi /e' &'edish Hovement (8ys'ens&a 9=relsen- until at least )*+9, causing tensions 'hen !"# began opening stores in srael,;*B< although one source has claimed that the movement 'as not pro4/aLi. ;*8< !amprad devotes t'o chapters to his time in /ysvenska $Rrelsen in his book, 0eadin( *y ,esi(n) 4#e IKEA 6tory and, in a )**+ letter to !"# employees, called his affiliation 'ith the organisation the Qgreatest mistake of my life.Q;*7< #fter the revelations came to light, he pledged Z) billion to charity.;*9< Former /or'egian prime minister !1ell Hagne Jondevik has criticiLed !"# for not depicting 'omen assembling furniture in its instruction booklets. ;**< !"# denied this claim in a statement.;)::< n 6::+, there 'as controversy about an rish la' restricting the maDimum siLe of a retail outlet to 8,::: m6. !"#As plan to build a much larger store in Kublin caused the la' to be put up for debate. The la' 'as changed to remove the siLe limit for retail outlets selling durable goods in designated areas.;):)< The Hinister for the "nvironment 'as criticised for allegedly changing the la' to suit one company and other agencies protested the la' change as damaging to small businesses 'hile the government defended their decision stating that the move 'as a positive one for rish consumers. !"# Kublin has since opened on 67 July 6::*.;):6< June 6::7: the designated nationalist &ocial Kemocratic and .abour Party complained about an artistAs rendering of !"# Jelfast that included both the Union Flag and the Ulster Janner flag as t'o of the three flags in front of the store. #fter being labelled Qan upmarket 0range hallQ by the party, !"# assured customers and co4'orkers that only the &'edish flag 'ould be seen outside the actual store.;):,< June 6::7: The J$U/!$ &&.# bedding notes said, QJrightens up your gradAs dorm. Unlike a creepy gothic room4mate, 'ho can be a bad influence.Q Hembers of the goth subculture took offence at the stereotype.;):+< 6::7 &everal ancient tombs 'ere destroyed 'hile building an kea store in /an1ing, south4eastern 3hina. #rchaeologists asked 'hether the building company could stop 'orking for some days for providing archaeologists to 'ork on the side, but they did not get the permission.;):B< # researcher from the University of 3openhagen pointed out that for years, !"# has named their cheap rugs after Kanish places, 'hile the more eDpensive and luDurious furniture 'as named after &'edish places. The researcher, !laus !1[ller, 'ho is 'ell kno'n for tongue4in4cheek statements, accused !"# of imperialism.;):8< !"# has been criticised by 3itytv in 3anada for charging as much as t'ice the price in their 3anadian stores for the same items sold in their #merican stores, this despite the 3anadian dollar reaching parity 'ith the U.&. dollar.;):7< n 6::9, !"# sent an email to their Jritish customers advising that >IKEA 6#op 5nline is open e'ery+#ere>, even though this only applied to "ngland and Wales. #s of #pril 6:),, &cottish residents are able to shop online, but not /orthern rish residents.;):9<

n 6:)), !"# and its &'ed'ood affiliate came under criticism for its treatment of 'orkers at a U.&. factory in Kanville, Iirginia and its decision to hire the la' firm Jackson .e'is, 'hich is often employed by companies to counter labor demands, to consult 'ith !"# on attempts to form a union at Kanville. # petition on 3hange.org has received more than 7:,::: signatures urging !"# to respect 'orkersA rights.;):*< n 6:)6, !"# in France 'as accused by the independent ne'spaper 0e -anard enc#a?n@ and the investigative 'ebsite Mediapart of spying on its employees and clients by illegally accessing French police records. The head of risk management at !"# feared his employees 'ere anti4globalists or potential ecoterrorists.;)):<;)))< n 0ctober 6:)6, =lendal Foods W a ma1or supplier to !"# &tore $estaurants in #ustralia, 'as the sub1ect of bullying allegations by about B:F of staff at the company and the /ational Union of Workers. 3laims included self4harm by a 'orker, retention of 'ages \ a significant long4term pattern of staff4abuse and complaints are under investigation by Work&afe Iictoria. !"# #ustralia have not yet made a formal comment.;))6< n 0ctober 6:)6, !"# 'as criticiLed for airbrushing 'omen out of pictures in catalogues 'hich 'ere used in &audi #rabia.;)),< n February 6:),, !"# announced it had pulled )7,::: portions of &'edish meatballs containing beef and pork from stores in "urope after testing in the 3Lech $epublic found traces of horse in the product. The company actually removed the &'edish meatballs from storesA shelves 6B February 6:),, but only made the announcement public after &'edish ne'spaper &venska Kagbladet uncovered 'hat happened.;))+< n a Harch 6:), media report, an kea representative stated that the corporation had made Famil1en Kafgard, its main meatball supplier, cease business 'ith eight of its )B suppliers and 'ould reduce the number of purchasing countries. The discovered horsemeat 'as traced to a Polish abattoir.;))B<

2se of forced la$or&edit'

Hain article: Unfree labour Kuring the )*9:s, !"# kept its costs do'n by using production facilities in "ast =ermany. # portion of the 'orkforce at the factories used consisted of political prisoners. This fact, revealed in a report by "rnst \ Soung commissioned by the company, resulted from intermingling of criminals and political dissidents in the state4o'ned production facilities !"# contracted 'ith, a practice 'hich 'as generally kno'n in West =ermany. !"# 'as one of a number of companies, including West =erman firms, 'hich benefited from this practice. The investigation resulted from attempts by former political prisoners to obtain compensation. n /ovember 6:)6, !"# admitted being a'are at the time of the possibility of use of forced labor and failing to eDercise sufficient rigor to identify and avoid it. # summary of the "rnst \ Soung report 'as released on )8 /ovember 6:)6.;))8<

3erdana typeface&edit'

n 6::* !"# caused a flap in the graphic design 'orld 'hen it changed the typeface used in its catalogue from Futura to Ierdana, eDpressing a desire to unify its branding bet'een print and 'eb media. The controversy has been attributed to the perception of Ierdana as a symbol of homogeneity in popular typography. ;))7< 4ime magaLine and The #ssociated Press ran articles on the controversy including a brief intervie' 'ith an !"# representative, focusing on the opinions of typographers and designers.;))9< Kesign and advertising industry4focused publications such as *usiness Aee& 1oined the fray of online posts. The branding critic blog, Jrand /e', 'as one of those using the QIerdanagateQ name.;))7< The #ustralian online daily ne's site -ri&ey also published an article on the controversy. ;))*< 4#e /uardian ran an article asking Q !"# is changing its font to Ierdana W causing outrage among typomaniacs. &hould the rest of us care] #bsolutely.Q;)6:< 4#e 8e+ 7or& 4imes said the change to Ierdana Qis so offensive to many because it seems like a slap at the principles of design by a company that has been hailed for its adherence to them.Q;)6)<

Advertising&edit'

=erman4Turkish advertisement in Jerlin4/eukRlln n )**+, !"# ran a commercial in the United &tates 'idely thought to be the first commercial featuring a homoseDual couple@ it aired for several 'eeks before being pulled due to terrorist threats directed at !"# stores. ;)66< 0ther !"# commercials appeal to the 'ider =.JTN community, one featuring a transgender 'oman.;)6,< n 6::6, the inaugural television component of the QUnbRringQ campaign, titled 0amp, 'ent on to 'in several a'ards, including a =rand 3lio,;)6+< =olds at the .ondon nternational #'ards;)6B< and the #/KS #'ards,;)68< and the =rand PriD at the 3annes .ions nternational #dvertising Festival,;)67< the most prestigious a'ards ceremony in the advertising community.

!"# launched a U!4'ide QGome is the Host mportant Place in the WorldQ advertising campaign in &eptember 6::7 using estate agent signs 'ith the term Q/ot For &aleQ 'ritten on them as part of the 'ider campaign. #fter the campaign appeared in the Hetro ne'spaper .ondon the business ne's 'ebsite '''.mad.co.uk remarked that the !"# campaign had amaLing similarities 'ith the marketing activity of U! home refurbishment company 0nis living 'ho had launched their o'n /ot For &ale advertising campaign;)69< t'o years prior and 'as a'arded the nterbuild 6::8 3onstruction Harketing #'ard for best campaign under Z6B,:::.;)6*<

0nisAs /ot For &ale sign. # debate ensued bet'een Fraser Patterson, 3hief "Decutive of 0nis and #ndre' Hc=uinness, partner at Jeattie Hc=uinness Jungay (JHJ-, the advertising and P$ agency a'arded the Z)6m !"# account. ;),:<;),)< The essence of the debate 'as that JHJ claimed to be una'are of 0nisAs campaign as 0nis 'ere not an advertising agency. 0nisAs argument 'as that their advertising could be seen in prominent landmarks throughout .ondon, having been already accredited, sho'ing concern about the impact !"#As campaign 'ould have on the originality of their o'n. #fter some negotiations JHJ and !"# agreed to provide 0nis 'ith a feature page on the !"# campaign site linking through to 0nisAs .co.uk site, for a period of ) year. 0nis is possibly the only company to have ever been advertised by !"# in such a fashion. n 6::9, 0nis Gomes limited 'as placed into voluntary liMuidation and the 'ebsite '''.onishome.com closed. The ntellectual Property and trading rights of 0nis Gomes .imited 'ere later purchased by ne' shareholders 'ith the strategy to gro' the 0nis brand throughout the U.!. as a one stop shop home refurbishment franchise using the trading name 0nis living. n 6::9, !"# paired up 'ith the makers of popular video game The &ims 6 to make a stuff pack called The &ims 6 !"# Gome &tuff, featuring many !"# products. t 'as released on 6+ June 6::9 in /orth #merica and 68 June 6::9 in "urope. t is the second stuff pack 'ith a ma1or brand, the first being The &ims 6 G\H Fashion &tuff, 'hich are both coincidentally companies of &'edish origin.

!"# has taken over title sponsorship of PhiladelphiaAs annual Thanksgiving Kay parade in 6::9, replacing JoscovAs, 'ho filed for bankruptcy in #ugust 6::9. n /ovember 6::9, a sub'ay train decorated in !"# style 'as introduced in /ovosibirsk, $ussia.;),6< Four cars 'ere turned into a mobile sho'room of the &'edish design. The redesigned train, 'hich features colourful seats and fancy curtains, carried passengers until 8 June 6::*. 0yster cards (the ticket4free system for .ondon Underground- 'ere for given 'ith 'allets sponsored by !"# in 6::94:*. !"# also sponsored the tube map.;),,<;),+<

The sle of Wight ferry 9ed 5sprey in her !"# livery. n January 6::*, 1ust before the ne' store opened in &outhampton, HI 9ed 5sprey of $ed Funnel 'as re4painted in an entirely yello' and blue livery to celebrate the opening of the ne' !"# store in &outhampton. This is the first time a $ed Funnel ferry has been re4painted out of its o'n red and 'hite colour scheme. t stayed in these colours for )6 months as part of a deal bet'een $ed Funnel and !"# to provide home delivery services to the sle of Wight. t 'as repainted 'ith $ed FunnelAs red and 'hite livery 'hen the deal ended in January 6:):. n Harch 6:):, !"# developed an event in four important Hetro stations in Paris, in 'hich furniture collections are displayed in high4traffic spots, giving potential customers a chance to check out the brandAs products. The Hetro 'alls 'ere also filled 'ith prints that sho'case !"# interiors. n &eptember 6:):, !"# launched an advertisement for U! \ reland called QGappy nsideQ 'hich had ):: cats lying on !"# furniture in the flagship !"# store in Wembley, .ondon.;),B< n #pril 6:)), an advertising campaign for 'hich aims to discover 'hether men or 'omen are messier in the home launched. 3reated by Hother, the campaign 'ill begin 'ith a TI advert shot in front of a live audience, featuring four stand4up comedians, t'o men and t'o 'omen, having the debate over 'hich gender is the messiest. The strategy behind the campaign is that domestic clutter leads to arguments, leading to an unhappy home, 'hich !"# 'ants to prove can be avoided 'ith better storage. Iie'ers 'ill be directed to a ne' Facebook page for the brand, 'here they are able to vote as to 'ho they believe is the messiest, and submit proof using videos and photos through an app created

especially for the campaign. Hean'hile, online display banners 'ill allo' off users the opportunity to vote, 'ith online adverts promoting kea products also demonstrating the problems people have shared, and offering solutions. #nna 3rona, marketing director at !"# United !ingdom and reland, eDplained: QWe are committed to understanding ho' our customers live life at home so 'e can provide solutions to make life happier. "verybody has storage needs in the home and by encouraging debate and providing solutions 'e 'ill sho' that !"# is relevant to everybody, no matter 'hat your home is like or ho' much money you have.Q Press adverts 'ill also support the campaign, as 'ill a handbook entitled QPeace, .ove and &torageQ, 'hich 'ill be available through the Facebook site.;),8< n #ugust 6:)), !"# launched a first advertisement for Thailand in &ukhumvit, at the Jangkok Hetro station. The advertisement has sho'n a boD and a manual of P0#/= product, and sho'n a slogan of company Q# better everyday life at homeQ. Kuring the launch of the ne' catalog in #ugust 6:)6, !"# toured 'ith giant !"# catalog through the /etherlands. This giant catalog 'as somekind of tent, inside 'ere some ne' articles presented, coffee and snacks 'ere served and you could get a catalog 'ith yourself pro1ected on the cover. The !"# catalog 'as run by co'orkers from the nearest store. The catalog 'as in the city centres of $otterdam, =roningen, #mersfoort and "indhoven.

Ot1er ventures&edit'
n mid4#ugust 6:)6, the company announced that it 'ill establish a chain of ):: economy hotels in "urope but, unlike its fe' eDisting hotels in &candinavia, they 'ill not carry the !"# name, nor 'ill they use !"# furniture and furnishings W they 'ill be operated by an unnamed international group of hoteliers.;),7<

A!ards&edit'