History of Ikea

1940s 1950s
Year Details Important Details
1943 Founded by Ingvar Kampard
1945 First IKEA advertisements
appear
Increased awareness
of the IKEA brand
name
1948 Furniture introduced into
IKEA range
Response by
customers is positive
and the range expands
1951 First IKEA catalogue is
published
Further increases
opportunity for furniture
to be sold on a larger
scale
1953 Furniture showroom opens Important moment in
the development of the
IKEA concept
customers can now
physically see and
touch IKEA home
furnishing before
making an informed
decision to purchase
the furniture
1956 Designing of flat packs for
self assembly
Discovery flatpacks
and self assembly
became part of IKEAs
concept
1958 First IKEA Store opens
1960s-1970s
1960s First IKEA restaurant opens IKEA begins to
diversify itself out of
the furniture line
1960s-1970s Many IKEA classics are
designed such as Billy
bookcase etc.
IKEA starting to make
a brand name for itself
as its furniture
becomes more popular
1980s
1980s IKEA opens in many other
countries such as USA,
Belgium, France
IKEA starts to make a
brand name for itself
globally.
1990s
1990s IKEA implements its first
environmental policy
IKEA products are
slowly being
recognised as being
environmentally
friendly.
New ranges are being
launched
IKEA maintains the
impression of it being
innovative and creative
in its product design.
2000s
2000s Code of conduct is
established explicitly states
what suppliers can expect
from IKEA and what IKEA
would like to get in return.
This includes legal
requirements that prohibit
usage of child labour
Branding itself as an
advocate of proper
working conditions
i.e IKEA collaborated
with UNICEF to initiate
a community program
in India to address the
root causes of child
labour.
Established e-commerce
shopping