Ikea warns of possible out-of-stocks amid Suez Canal crisis

Inter Ikea Group, responsible for strategy at Ikea, is warning that some Ikea products may be unavailable while it manages the volatile situation at the Suez Canal. Attacks by Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen have disrupted passage.

“We are in close dialogue with our transportation partners to ensure the safety of people working in the IKEA value chain and to take all the necessary precautions to keep them safe,” an Inter Ikea Group spokesperson said in an emailed statement. “This is our main priority.”

The company is evaluating possible alternatives. Because Ikea doesn’t own its own container vessels, its freight partners manage all of its shipments, the spokesperson said.