IKEA, the retail giant known for its and affordable modern furniture,
has announced that its products will be subject to delayed delivery times due to recent diversions in the Red Sea.
In a statement released on the company’s website, IKEA cited the recent attempts by Saudi Arabia to deepen and widen parts of the Red Sea for economic development as the cause for the impending delays. This project, which is commonly referred to as the “Red Sea Diversion” will affect many trade routes, which will have a direct impact on IKEA’s delivery times.
The delays, of course, will directly depend on how long it takes Saudi Arabia to continue their progress on the Red Sea Diversion. However, at present, the delivery delays of IKEA products range from two to three weeks. This means customers in countries that receive imports from the Middle East will experience the delays sooner.
IKEA apologized for the inconvenience, but encouraged customers to shop IKEA online. “By offering online ordering we want to help reduce the stress of shipping delays and offer you a reliable way to shop”, a spokesperson mentioned.
The Red Sea Diversion project is estimated to cost more than $7 billion dollars and will have a direct impact on shipping across the entire Middle Eastern region. With a minimum timeline of 5 years, IKEA expects these delays to continue, but is taking the proper steps to handle the situation.
Although this isn’t great news for IKEA customers, it is important to remember that things like this happen from time to time and have consequences on businesses. For now, IKEA is doing the best they can to make sure every customer will have access to their products as soon as possible.