IKEA issues statement over Trump's furniture tariffs: ‘Our goal is to…’

IKEA has responded to chairperson Donald Trump’s decision to put new tariffs on imported furniture, saying American shoppers could soon see higher prices. The Swedish retailer said its goal is to keep furniture affordable, but tariffs make this much harder, as per Newsweek.

“Our goal is to offer affordable, good-quality home furnishings to everyone,” the company told Newsweek. “In our experience across the markets we operate in, tariffs make these ambitions more difficult.”

IKEA said it will try to keep costs low, but cannot promise prices will stay the same.

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Last week, Trump announced on Truth Social that he was “imposing a 50 percent Tariff on all Kitchen Cabinets, Bathroom Vanities, and associated products,” starting October 1, 2025. Upholstered furniture, such as sofas and chairs, will face a 30 percent tariff. Other products were also hit, including a 100 percent tariff on patented drugs and a 25 percent tariff on heavy-duty trucks.

Trump argued that foreign products are “flooding” the US and threatening American jobs and national security.

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The US is IKEA’s second-largest market after Germany. The company made $5.5 billion in sales in the United States last year. If prices rise, IKEA risks losing some of its cost-conscious customers.

The Commerce Department has been investigating America’s reliance on timber, lumber, and furniture imports since March under a national security review. Trump announced a “major tariff investigation” on furniture in August, promising that it would end within 50 days. But he moved ahead with tariffs before the results were released.

Consumer groups warn that the tariffs will raise costs for ordinary Americans. Ethan Weiland from the Consumer Federation of America told Newsweek, “The administration’s latest round of tariffs will increase prices and harm consumers.”

He added that tariffs on heavy trucks will push up transport costs, which companies will likely pass on to shoppers.

Melinda St. Louis, director at Public Citizen’s Global Trade Watch, explained to the outlet that Trump is using tariffs as a headline tool while keeping negotiations secret. She argued that tariffs alone cannot help workers unless paired with strong public investment and support for labor rights.

The tariffs are set to take effect on Wednesday. Drug makers could avoid the new duties if they are building US factories. For IKEA, the coming weeks will show whether it can keep prices down, or whether American families will need to pay more for their favorite flat-pack furniture.

A1. IKEA says new tariffs on imported furniture make it harder to keep its products affordable, so customers may soon face higher prices.

A2. The new policy adds a 50 per cent tariff on kitchen cabinets and bathroom vanities, plus a 30 per cent tariff on upholstered furniture starting October 1, 2025.

A3. The US is IKEA’s second-largest market after Germany, generating $5.5 billion in sales last year.

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