The furniture retailer Ikea justified its sometimes sharp price increases with increased costs for purchasing, transport and energy. The "Bild" had compared the current prices of selected products with those from the previous year and came up with increases of up to 131 percent for the "Nesttun" bed frame. Ikea classics such as the "Billy" bookcase (53 percent) and the "Pax" wardrobe (50 percent) are also significantly more expensive than a year ago.

Ikea did not comment on the individual prices on Wednesday. In the past fiscal year 2022, it was not possible to avoid adjusting the prices for parts of the range, according to a written statement. Previously, the company absorbed most of the cost increases in the global supply chain itself. Since autumn 2022 and thus in the current 2023 financial year, prices have been reduced again when the supply chains have stabilized and inventories have improved.

The largest furniture retailer in Germany did not want to rule out further price increases: "Nevertheless, we are not immune to the current economic challenges, such as significantly increased purchase prices, not only for our range, but also for energy and transport."

The trade association for living and office has no statistics on price developments in other German furniture stores, a spokesman said. In its inflation basket for furniture, lighting, appliances and household accessories, the Federal Statistical Office shows an increase of 7.1 percent in 2022 compared to the previous year.