Ikea continues to cut prices, even at the expense of sales. This is what Jesper Brodin, CEO of Ingka Group, told De Tijd in an interview. According to Brodin, not only sales figures are important, but also the number of products sold and customer visits. Although turnover fell 5 per cent last year to 39.6 billion euros, the number of customers and items sold increased. Net profit halved to 800 million euros, a development the company had expected.
Sales also fell in the Netherlands, while customer traffic increased. Besides the large shops, Ikea is increasingly focusing on smaller city shops. However, some experiments, such as a small store in Paris, were closed again. Shops without a restaurant will not be opened for the time being, as the restaurant and its famous meatballs play an important role in attracting visitors. 
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Source: De Tijd
