Furniture giant IKEA loses its trademark dispute in SC in Indonesia

Feb 6, 2016Updated Jun 4, 20251 min read

There is Samsung of South Korea, Sony of Japan, BMW of Germany and IKEA of Indonesia. Wait! IKEA of Indonesia? Yes, at least in Indonesia, if not worldwide.

Furniture giant IKEA, founded in Sweden in 1943, has lost a trademark dispute in Indonesia after the country’s highest court agreed the name was owned by a local company.

Indonesian furniture company PT Ratania Khatulistiwa registered its IKEA trademark in December 2013. It’s an acronym of Intan Khatulistiwa Esa Abadi.

The Supreme Court’s ruling was made in May last year but only surfaced publicly this week with its publication online by the court on Thursday.

It said IKEA had not actively used its trademark in three consecutive years for commercial purposes and it could be deleted under Indonesia’s trademark law.

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Mei Ling Tan

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Mei Ling Tan is the Editor of Retail News Asia, where she leads the editorial team in delivering in-depth coverage of Asia’s dynamic retail landscape. With over a decade of experience in business journalism, Mei Ling is known for her sharp analysis, deep industry insights, and commitment to uncovering the stories behind Asia’s most innovative retail brands. Before joining Retail News Asia, Mei Ling held senior reporting roles at regional business publications, covering everything from consumer trends to digital transformation in retail. A graduate of the National University of Singapore with a degree in Communications and New Media, she combines journalistic integrity with a strong understanding of evolving market forces. Outside the newsroom, Mei Ling is a frequent speaker at industry panels and a mentor for young journalists.

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