Ikea Romania celebrates its 18th birthday

With the first store opening in 2007, IKEA brought Scandinavian design, functional and affordable products to millions of Romanian homes. To celebrate this milestone, IKEA stores in Romania are hosting a special weekend from March 21 – 23 offering exclusive promotions, delicious discounts and creative workshop events for IKEA Family members.   IKEA entered the market in Baneasa, now being the oldest store in South East Europe region, followed by the region’s largest store in Pallady, and the one in Timisoara. During the years, IKEA has grown by learning from the customers and seeing the trends evolve from traditional, classic furniture style to modern, minimalist design focused on functionality.   “We have proudly been a part of Romanian homes for 18 years, on a mission to understand people’s lives, their needs and dreams. An amazing journey which we are committed to continue. We are here to bring inspiring and affordable home furnishing solutions to the many people and our primary focus is on being accessible, convenient and sustainable today and in the future,” stated Vincent Devloo, Area Retail Manager IKEA SEE (Romania, Croatia, Serbia, Slovenia, Ukraine).   Among the most beloved items sold in Romania across the years are the classic BILLY bookcases, which if lined up end to end, would stretch all the way from Bucharest to Pitesti – a distance of more than 120 kilometers. Also, the emblematic STRANDMON armchairs, with over 60,000 pieces sold, gathered all together, would fill the entire National Arena in Bucharest, while the 20,000 INGATORP tables sold would exceed Moldoveanu Peak if placed one on top of the other.   In the last fiscal year, IKEA Romania made an effort to significantly invest into lowering prices and remaining even more relevant for the customers, investing 20.5 million € to reduce the prices on almost half of its range. The aim was to confirm the commitment of IKEA’s founder – to make well-designed products accessible to as many people as possible, which resulted in over 26.5 million products sold only last year.   Looking ahead the upcoming years, IKEA Romania is committed to getting closer to their customers and allowing them to choose when and where they want to start their IKEA experience. After opening Plan and Order Point in Constanta and several pick-up points in cities Oradea, Cluj, Brasov, Sibiu, and Iasi, IKEA Romania will continue exploring new formats of touchpoints and strengthen digital channels, as part of the omnichannel presence development.   A key part of IKEA’s commitment to innovation is the investment in digital solutions. AI-driven tools are being implemented in stores to enhance the customer experience, while advanced technologies like autonomous drones are to track inventory and ensure products are available when customers need them.   Sustainability continues to be a priority for IKEA both globally and locally. The company has set ambitious goals to reduce its carbon footprint by 50% by 2030 and to achieve “Net Zero and Beyond” in the future. A key focus is the circular economy, waste management, and tackling climate change. One of the company’s latest initiatives in Romania is the IKEA Biodiversity Garden at each of its stores, aiming to build  more resilient ecosystems.   IKEA Romania will remain committed to being a trusted partner and a good neighbor in the years to come.