IKEA, home furnishings retailer that was the world’s largest seller of furniture in the early 21st century, operating more than 300 stores around the world. IKEA specializes in low-priced goods, sold whenever possible in compact “flat-pack” form for in-home assembly by the customer.
IKEA was founded (1943) in Sweden and still flaunts its origins—store exteriors are decorated in the colours of the Swedish flag (blue and yellow), in-store restaurants serve Swedish food, and the company’s products carry Swedish names.