Ikea sets new records

Ikea has set new records in sales and store visits in its latest financial year, to August 31.

The Swedish furniture and homewares chain now has 328 stores in 28 countries and says it served 771 million customers in the last year.

Total sales reached US$35.5 billion.

“We are growing in almost all our markets and we are happy about last year’s sales development,” said president and CEO Pete Agnefjall.

The chain’s two fastest growing markets are China and Russia.

“The Chinese middle class continues developing and in pace with its growth an interest for our product rises too,” said Agnefjall.

“We have more visitors in our department stores now and we have opened three new stores in China during the year. We are going to open three new stores the next year too…”

Sales were also strong in Germany, North America and Southern Europe.