Belarus supplier kept making IKEA-style furniture for Russia after exit

· Investigations · Belarus · Russia

After Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, IKEA pulled out of Russia and Belarus, where it had sourced some furniture. According to OCCRP, the Belarusian factory that had supplied IKEA stopped supplying the company but kept making strikingly similar products for export to Russia. One Russian retailer even marketed the furniture as a replacement for IKEA, touting its familiar qualities. The case illustrates how supply chains and manufacturing capacity can persist and be redirected after a high-profile corporate exit, allowing consumers in sanctioned or exited markets to keep buying near-identical goods while the original brand stays away.

Why it matters：It shows that corporate exits from Russia often leave production capacity and supply chains intact, complicating the effectiveness of sanctions and consumer-facing withdrawals.

Key points

  • IKEA left Russia and Belarus after the 2022 invasion
  • Former Belarusian supplier kept making similar furniture for export to Russia
  • A Russian retailer marketed it as a replacement for IKEA

Sources (original reporting)

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