Ikea has warned it could face delays in receiving its flat pack furniture due to attacks on ships in the Red Sea.
The furniture company said the situation in the Suez Canal, located at the northern end of the Red Sea, would lead to delays and “may cause availability constraints for certain Ikea products”.
The warning comes as global shipping companies search for alternative routes to avoid the region following a series of attacks on commercial vessels.
It is not currently known which Ikea items are shipped via the Suez Canal, according to The Telegraph.
However, the furniture giant lists China as one of the top five countries from which it sources goods, with the Suez Canal the main route connecting Europe and Asia by sea.
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The news follows a warning last week that festive deliveries and fuel supplies were being threatened after attacks on vessels in the region by Houthi rebels.
A spokesman for the wider Inter Ikea Group insisted it was endeavoring “to ensure the safety of people working in the Ikea value chain and to take all the necessary precautions to keep them safe”.
They added the business was investigating alternative supply options to secure the availability of products while closely monitoring the situation.
While shipping companies search for alternative routes, the procedure is expected to result in delivery delays as the journey around Africa adds an estimated two weeks and higher fuel costs.
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