Ikea

Ikea will remove all non-rechargeable alkaline batteries worldwide by 2021. In this way, the furniture retailer wants to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and the amount of toxic waste.

Ikea is ready for a "green recovery" after the Covid-19 crisis. The CEO of Ikea Belgium has written an open letter, calling for cooperation and "sustainability as a fully-fledged business model". He demands that recovery plans take into account the climate crisis as well.

Ingka Centres, owner of shopping centres and part of the Ikea Group, wants to enter the American market. The real estate company is in talks to refurbish properties on central locations in major American cities.

Ikea has stated it hopes to reopen its European stores from the end of April. In the meantime, the chain is offering advice by video conference in Belgium. The coronavirus crisis has already cost the Swedish company 60 % of its turnover.

As of September, Jon Abrahamsson Ring will be the CEO of Inter Ikea, the company that manages the intellectual property of the Swedish furniture chain. He has been a close associate of founder Ingvar Kamprad for four years.

Even Ikea is having a hard time in the declining British market: in Coventry, in the centre of England, Ikea is forced to permanently close its store. 352 employees lose their jobs.

Swedish furniture chain Ikea has opened a pop-up store in Eindhoven (the Netherlands), that wants to attract attention to its smart products. However, the store is more like a showroom, with customers unable to physically purchase and take home the smart products.