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Ikea to experiment with furniture rentals

The Local Sweden
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Ikea to experiment with furniture rentals
An Ikea showroom being set up. File photo: Anders Andersson / Scanpix/TT

Swedish furniture giant Ikea announced plans to test furniture rentals in two markets, Sweden and the Netherlands, as part of a move towards a more sustainable business model.

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In Sweden, Ikea will experiment with renting furniture to companies, while in the Netherlands the target audience is students, who will be able to borrow all the furniture needed to kit out short-term accommodation while studying.

"Customers' behaviour changes both in terms of how we shop and how conscious we are of climate impact and consumption," Miki Tabakovic, country sales manager at Ikea, told the TT news agency. "We take on the responsibility of giving the product a second life after the rental period is over."

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The plans were announced during an event at the chain's first 'sustainable' store in western Germany. 

As well as being a step towards a greener business model, the rental scheme could could also help Ikea remain competitive amid growing competition from online stores.

If the pilot goes well, the option to rent beds, tables, storage and more from Ikea will be available in 30 countries from 2020.

READ ALSO: From frugality to fika: How Ikea exported a certain image of Sweden

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