Ikea announces sale in Russia ahead of exit as staff run through store in search of a bargain
People were seen running through Russian Ikea stores to grab a bargain as the retailer announced it is holding a sale before quitting the country.
Footage shared online reportedly showed people sprinting through a store, while the Russian-language site for the Swedish furniture giant reportedly went down under weight of demand.
The flat-packing retailer announced it is holding an online-only sale before it winds down operations, as it prepares to quit Moscow due to the war in Ukraine.
In a message on its Russian-language site, Ikea said: “From July 5 for a few weeks you can buy IKEA goods only”, online. However, according to Reuters, it wasn’t possible to add items to the basket for the store as of 8.30am GMT.
The store may come in for criticism as selling off its final stock before quitting the country could generate revenue in the country.
Since the invasion of Ukraine in mid-February, major international brands have quit Russia, including McDonald’s, Coca-Cola and River Island.
Russia has also been placed under strict international sanctions.
IKEA said it would sell factories, close offices and reduce its 15,000-strong workforce in Russia, but will continue to pay staff until the end of August.
A Telegram channel called Baza shared footage of staff reportedly running through a Moscow store in a bid to get hold of a bargain. A Guardian correspondent shared the clip on Twitter: