Content about IKEA

Conshohocken, Pa. -- Ikea said Wednesday that contractors have been hired and a building permit is pending for its future Miami-Dade store in Sweetwater, Fla., putting the home furnishings retailer on track for a groundbreaking in 60 days and a summer 2014 opening date.

Delhi, India -- A Monday report by Bloomberg said that Ikea has received the go-ahead from the Indian government to open outlets in the country, making it perhaps the first major foreign retailer to set up its own stores in the region.

The Swedish furniture retailer was cleared by the Foreign Investment Promotion Board, according to a statement by Commerce Minister Anand Sharma. The approval is a turnaround for the Indian government which last year barred Ikea from operating cafes and limited retail wares it could sell in stores.

Conshohocken, Pa. – Ikea announced it is submitting plans to the City of Burbank, Calif., for a new and larger store to replace its current location among the Swedish retailer’s presence in the Los Angeles area. The application will mark the beginning of the governmental review process for this proposed relocation.

Plymouth Meeting, Pa. -- Ikea said Monday that it plans to sell only energy-efficient LED lighting by 2016. The move comes two years after the Swedish retailer phased out incandescent bulbs.

Ikea said it believes the shift to the longer-lasting bulbs will help set an environmentally friendly example in the industry. It also will help save the company about $10 million to $20 million a year, or 10%, in lighting costs at its 300 stores around the globe, said Steve Howard, the company's chief sustainability officer.

Round Rock, Texas -- Ikea has officially plugged in its largest U.S. rooftop solar installation to date, at its store in Round Rock, Texas. When combined with Ikea projects atop stores in Houston and Dallas-area Frisco, the new installation also makes Ikea the largest solar owner in Texas.

Orlando, Fla. -- The nation’s chain retailers lead the nation when it comes to commercial solar energy use, according to a report by the Solar Energy Industries Association and Vote Solar Initiative advocacy group.

Burlington, Ontario, Canada -- IKEA Canada announced Monday that its new catalog, debuting Aug. 13, has incorporated a host of interactive elements designed for smartphones and tablets.

When holding a smartphone or tablet over a page, users are able to access films about IKEA products, experience 3D models, look behind closed doors with an X-ray function or change curtains and get creative.

Users will access the bonus material by downloading the IKEA app to smartphones or tablets, or by visiting www.IKEA.ca.

Woodbridge, Va. -- Ikea officially plugged-in the solar energy system installed atop its store in Woodbridge, Va. The state’s largest such photovoltaic array, the 63,000-sq.-ft. PV installation consists of a 504-kW system, built with 2,100 panels.

The system will produce approximately 636,199 kWh of clean electricity annually, the equivalent of reducing 439 tons of carbon dioxide (CO2), eliminating the emissions of 86 cars or powering 55 homes yearly.

New York -- Ikea has been rebuffed by India on a request to relax rules on buying goods locally, Reuters reported, citing a government source. The rebuff is likely to delay Ikea’s entry into the Indian retail market.

In June, Ikea said it would invest approximately $1.86 billion and open 25 stores in India. But the chain was seeking a 10-year window to comply with India’s rule that foreign retailers source 30% from local small and medium-sized firms. The requirement is seen by overseas companies as a hindrance to investment.

Conshohocken, Pa. -- Ikea has announced plans to install solar energy panels on two distribution centers in the Eastern United States. Installation will occur this summer on the chain’s center in Perryville, Md., and Westampton, N.J. Both projects will rank among the largest commercial rooftop solar installations in the United States, and their implementation will extend the Ikea solar presence to nearly 89% of its U.S. locations.

Burlington, Ontario -- Ikea Canada announced Tuesday that it is one of three pilot countries to bring store information via Android phones or iPhones.

Effective May 2, the Ikea Mobile Shopping Application will enable customers to browse Ikea's product range, check product information and stock availability. The new application also allows the creation of shopping lists that include the product's location for pick up in the store. Customers can also access a store map on their phone to make navigating through the store easier.