Espionage at Ikea France: a light sentence for managing directors

In the appeal process for spying on employees and customers at Ikea France, the manager’s sentence was slightly reduced. The former general manager received only four months of probation and a fine of 20,000 euros, as reported by various media outlets on Friday. In the first instance, the penalty was two years probation and €50,000.

Ikea France was fined €1 million in the first phase in 2021. The court found the French subsidiary of the Swedish furniture giant guilty of habitual collection of personal data by fraudulent or illegal means. The company has not appealed.

hired security company

The French investigative newspaper “Canard Enchaîné” reported in 2012 about the systematic surveillance. In 2003, the security department of the French company Ikea commissioned a private security company to provide the company with some confidential data about employees and applicants – such as information on possible criminal records or bank data. It is said that similar information was requested of customers who were in a legal dispute with Ikea. FO then filed a complaint against unknown persons for illegal use of personal data.

The Swedish group distanced itself from the accused practices in France. IKEA France announced a few weeks after learning of the allegations that an internal investigation showed that the actions “did not respect the company’s values ​​and ethics”. Internal reforms must follow.

According to Agence France-Presse, the espionage system was said to have spread across the entire territory of France. The external security company is said to have received between 30,000 and 600,000 euros a year from IKEA France. Although the system goes back further, defendants only have to respond to the years 2009 to 2012. (saw/sda/awp/dpa)

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