Ikea Group announced on Thursday that it will cut 150 jobs, mostly in Sweden but also in Belgium and the Netherlands. The Swedish furniture giant will make most of the cuts, 110, in Sweden, but Belgium and the Netherlands will also be affected. It is not yet known how many jobs are threatened in Belgium and negotiations should, in fact, begin, according to an Ikea spokesperson in Sweden.
The job cuts are linked to the switch to electronic trade. Ikea had lagged behind in this area but has since launched a webshop. “We want a simpler, more efficient and less bureaucratic organization,” retail manager Tolga Öncü told the Swedish newspaper The Local.
The job losses are concentrated in global support functions, such as human resources, marketing and communication.
The Brussels Times
