Ikea in France says sorry for spying on staff

Last month Le Canard Enchaîné, the investigative weekly, reported that Ikea
France paid investigators to illegally access police records on 200
employees and customers, and track them via vehicle registrations. The
apparent aim was to vet staff and gather potentially damaging data on
customers who attacked the group.

Prosecutors in Versailles, near Paris, have launched a preliminary
investigation into the fraudulent use of personal data, following a
complaint by the Force Ouvrière union.

The company has placed three employees on leave of absence pending the outcome
of the probe. Among them is Jean-Louis Baillot, director general of Ikea
France from 1996 to 2009.

The company also said it had set up a working group on “reinforcing values and
ethical standards” so that “such a situation never happens again.”

Ten IKEA employees are now planning to take legal action against the company
for illegal use of personal data.

The offence is punishable with a £270,000 fine and up to five years in prison.

According to the Mediapart investigative website, one Ikea store in a Paris
suburb also “showered” local policemen with store vouchers in bribes to help
dig up confidential data.

It is not the first time the company has been criticised over its security
methods.

A 2010 book called The Truth About IKEA claimed the company was “racist and
nepotistic” and said its surveillance methods on staff were “worthy of the
Stasi”.

Ikea has 29 stores in France.

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