IKEA Opens 1st Bulgarian Store with Steep Prices - Report

The Swedish furniture giant IKEA is opening its first store in the Bulgarian capital Sofia on September 20th with steep prices, according to media reports.

A comparison between IKEA catalogs for Bulgaria, France, Romania and England shows that prices for most items are times higher in Bulgaria, according to the Bulgarian Standart (Standard) daily.

In the catalogue for Bulgaria, a fully furnished kitchen has a listed price of BGN 6 295, while in neighboring Romania this price is EUR 1 100. A wardrobe in Bulgaria costs BGN 600 while it is sold for the equivalent of BGN 325 in Italy; BGN 353 in the UK; BGN 367 in Romania; BGN 388 in France and BGN 556 in Greece. A couch in IKEA Bulgaria will cost BGN 498 while in France the same item is sold for EUR 179 or BGN 350.

The steep prices have already stirred outrage in social networks in Bulgaria.

Standart have contacted IKEA in order to find out while Bulgarians have to pay the most in Europe for the company's furniture. The PR agency, servicing the Swedish brand, has told them that they will provide an answer later Monday.

IKEA Bulgaria is a franchise of the Greek Fourlis company, which also has the IKEA rights for Greece and Cyprus.