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☆ Retailers jacked up prices and squeezed consumers. They might have just blinked
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-05 | by ( Parija Bhatnagar | Parija Kavilanz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

“There’s just less dollars for consumers to spend.”The challenge for retailers now is to shake consumers out of that frugal mindset. Retail spending has increased in seven of the past 10 months through March. “If you want to convince consumers to spend you have to give them a reason to do so. Lower prices are a clear opportunity to drive people into the store or online.”It’s a lever that Walmart, he said, has pulled forever. Clothing chain H&M told analysts during its most recent earnings call that it, too, would lower prices.

Persons: Sarah Wyeth, ”, Chad Lusk, Alvarez, ” Wyeth, “ There’s, they’re, Zak Stambor, Stambor, Joe Raedle, ” Stambor, “, ” Jesper Brodin, ” Brodin, ” Michaels, ” Ashley Buchanan, Michaels, Lars Daniel Ervér, Frida, Chuck, – CNN’s Bryan Mena Organizations: New, New York CNN —, Ikea, Shoppers, “ Retailers, CNN, Walmart, Ingka, “, Cheese, Stambor Locations: New York, Hallandale Beach , Florida

☆ Top CEOs fear that volatile supply chains are now just the new normal
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-19 | by ( Silvia Amaro | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Kristian Helgesen | Bloomberg | Getty ImagesDAVOS, Switzerland — Top CEOs are closely following tensions in the Red Sea, warning that this kind of volatility for supply chains is likely here to stay. Houthi rebels from Yemen have attacked commercial vessels traveling in the Red Sea since November. Supply chains were massively disrupted during the pandemic and the subsequent bounce back, given the restrictions and the closure of borders. Tobias Meyer, the CEO of DHL, shared concerns over the new normal for supply chains. "We have an issue in the Panama Canal, we have an issue in the Red Sea.

Persons: Ebba, A.P ., Kristian Helgesen, Jesper Brodin, Brodin, Tobias Meyer Organizations: A.P, A.P . Moeller, Maersk, Bloomberg, Getty, Ingka, CNBC, Economic, IKEA, DHL Locations: Suez, Egypt, DAVOS, Switzerland, Red, Yemen, Iran, Gaza, United States, Hope, Africa, Asia, Europe, Davos, Panama

☆ Ikea says it's going to cut prices this year, and the company's comments on deflation should be setting competitors on edge
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-16 | by ( Huileng Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Read previewCompanies across the board have been hiking prices massively in the last few years, citing relentless supply chain disruptions from the COVID-19 pandemic, geopolitical tensions, and Russia's war in Ukraine. Speaking to Reuters at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Broden acknowledged "quite significant deflation" upstream in its supply chain. AdvertisementIkea also has enough inventory to offset price hikes from any supply chain shocks, Brodin told the news agency. To be sure, Ikea hiked prices in 2022, citing supply chain bottlenecks and higher raw material costs, but the furniture giant started cutting price late last year, citing easing price pressures. US grocery giant Walmart signaled deflation in November as well — but that was before the Red Sea Houthi attacks dragged into the new year.

Persons: —, Jesper Brodin, Broden, Brodin, It's Organizations: Service, Business, Ingka, Ikea, Reuters, Red, Economic, Energy Locations: Ukraine, Davos, Switzerland, London, Russia

☆ IKEA sticks with China despite slowing economy
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-12 | by ( Helen Reid | Thomson Reuters | London-Based Reporter Covering The European Retail Sector Through A Global Lens. Focusing On Companies Including Adidas | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Yves Herman Acquire Licensing RightsMALMÖ, Sweden, Oct 12 (Reuters) - China is still a key growth market for budget furniture retailer IKEA despite the world's second-largest economy showing signs of strain, executives at the biggest IKEA store owner said on Thursday. The company has 37 IKEA stores in China, out of a total of 537 locations worldwide. Ingka Group overall saw 697 million visits to its IKEA stores in the 2023 financial year, up 7.4% from the previous year. The rate of increase was much higher in China, Brodin said, as stores reopened and shoppers returned. China's sheer size makes it a key opportunity, said Tolga Oncu, head of IKEA Retail at Ingka Group.

Persons: Yves Herman Acquire, Jesper Brodin, Brodin, Ingka, Tolga Oncu, Oncu, Helen Reid, Josie Kao Organizations: REUTERS, IKEA, Ingka Group, Ingka, Reuters, IKEA Retail, Thomson Locations: Brussels, Belgium, Sweden, China

Jesper Brodin, CEO of IKEA stores owner Ingka, said visitor numbers and sales volumes were up so far in the group's fiscal year through August 2023. "We are currently seeing growing visitor numbers and growing sales ... It started late spring, summer, and has continued," Brodin said, adding that current trading was better than feared. Some costs such as gas prices have started to decline as well, prompting some retailers to consider price cuts. Brodin said Ingka was currently seeing no signs of weakening demand, or of any of its markets heading towards a deep recession this year.

☆ A 20-year-old indigenous climate activist says the World Economic Forum is the perfect time for corporations to 'show their commitment' to breaking up with fossil fuels
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-17 | by ( Freya Graham | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Helena Gualinga is an Indigenous youth climate advocate from Ecuador. Gualinga wants to bring Indigenous and youth perspectives to climate conversations at Davos. The 20-year-old Indigenous youth climate advocate is speaking on several panels at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, this week, sharing the stage with the likes of John Kerry, the US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, and IKEA CEO Jesper Brodin. Much of the green transition is about electrification — for instance, switching from gas cars to electric ones. Corporations must commit to making a changeAt Davos this year, Gualinga wants to see "a real commitment to climate action."

☆ IKEA lets around 10,000 staff go in Russia -AFP
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

MOSCOW, Oct 13 (Reuters) - IKEA has now let go around 10,000 employees in Russia as it makes its exit from the country, the French news agency AFP quoted the company as saying on Thursday, as the Swedish furniture giant reported record annual sales. IKEA, the world's biggest furniture brand, shut down its Russian stores in March and said it would sell factories, close offices and reduce its 15,000-strong workforce in Russia. The company had said it would continue to pay staff until the end of August. Jesper Brodin, the CEO of Ingka group, owner of IKEA's stores, told AFP that it had had to lay off around 10,000 of its 12,000 retail employees in Russia. Brodin said Ingka had not yet decided whether to sell the IKEA stores in Russia.

☆ IKEA reports record sales as price hikes offset weakening consumer confidence
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-13 | by ( Anna Ringstrom | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

STOCKHOLM, Oct 13 (Reuters) - Budget furniture giant IKEA reported record high annual sales on Thursday as price hikes and easing effects from the pandemic made up for supply shortages, weakening consumer confidence and its exit from Russia. "Inflation and supply chain issues impacted FY22 sales, and led to rising costs and higher prices. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Register"In addition, supply chain shortages made it difficult to keep IKEA shelves full," it said. Inter IKEA in June put its factories in the country up for sale, and IKEA stores remain closed, but Ingka's shopping malls remain open. Brodin said on Thursday Ingka had not yet decided whether to sell the IKEA stores.

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