Not even the low cost is saved from the crisis. And yet, the world's largest buyer of Italian furniture is a low-price giant: Ikea. Products Made in Italy represent 8,1% of the Scandinavian company's procurement for all its 338 stores around the world, of which 20 in our country. Furthermore, in the global ranking of suppliers, we are third, surpassed only by China (22,8%) and Poland (17,8%). "It is difficult to find elsewhere the industrial culture that exists in Italy: the supply chain works, the logistics too". Word of Lars Petersson, managing director of Ikea Italia, who today presented the annual results in Rome.
Sweden's primacy in Italy, however, is an indication of the difficulties facing the sector. Ikea buys to resell, and from this point of view the news is not the best. In the fiscal year just ended, the turnover of the company in our country decreased by 4,5%, to 1,5 billion euro. A decrease that increases to 7,8% if we consider only comparable stores year on year. Furniture sales in particular decreased (-6,8%), which represent 55% of total revenues.
“Our decline, in any case, is less than that of the market – explains Elena Alemanno, deputy CEO -. Our market share in the furniture sector, in fact, it increased from 9,1 to 9,3%”. However, this is a lower increase than in previous years, considering that only in 2007 the company's share was 4,2%.
As for the number of visits to Ikea stores, turnover dropped much less (-2%, to 44,8 million) and this means only one thing: “Our customers bought less, focusing on cheaper products – continues Petersson -. We look optimistic to the data released this morning by Istat on consumer confidence, but we know that at least the next two years will have to be approached with great caution, because the recovery will not be fast".
Of course, we buy less, but Italy remains a crucial market for Ikea. In the company's global balance sheet, we rank fifth for sales volume (6,1% of the total). L'induced created in our country involves 2.500 businesses, is worth 200 million euros and has made it possible to create around 5 jobs.
There is, however, a weak point, and it is always the same: “In terms of investments, the biggest obstacle is the lack of certainties in the interpretation of the laws – continues Petersson –. It is difficult to know in advance if a project will go through and when”. The most effective example is that of the Ikea store in Pisa, "which will open on March 5, after planning for seven years". But the bureaucratic difficulties do not frighten the Swedes and the CEO confirms "the expansion plan in Italy for the future: we want another store in Rome, we are also working to open in Verona and add the fourth store in the Milan area".
Meanwhile, the expansion will also continue on the internet. The company started the e-commerce service for just a year: online revenues are modest (12 million euros), yet "we are the second country in the world for the number of fans on the Ikea Facebook page - continues Petersson's deputy -, while we even occupy the first position for it's about interaction on Twitter. As good Italians, we like to interact”. Waiting for the recovery of consumption.
