How IKEA Is Responding To Trump's Furniture Tariffs (& What Does It Mean For Shoppers?)

Swedish superstore Ikea always makes consumer value a top priority, to the point that the company saw a dip in profits in 2024 after it lowered prices further on many of its products. In the president's continued push to discourage buying from abroad, Trump's newest round of tariffs on imported goods includes a hefty 50% additional cost on kitchen and bathroom cabinets and vanities and a 30% increase on upholstered furniture. This change will go into effect on October 1. Although Ikea has been able to spare shoppers from rising costs somewhat in the past, this massive added expense is probably too much for the chain to shoulder alone.

Is now a bad time to invest in new cabinetry or the furniture pieces from Ikea your living room needs? Along with other tariff-related uncertainty, it's difficult to know for sure how this new adjustment will affect price tags. According to a statement Ikea made to Newsweek, the company hopes to continue to keep its furniture accessible to consumers, but it acknowledged that tariffs have the potential to interfere with that goal. While a price hike is guaranteed, it's hard to imagine that the home goods juggernaut will tolerate another year of certain profit loss. Still, with affordability being a pillar of Ikea's philosophy, it's equally hard to imagine that the company would raise prices beyond what its U.S. customers can afford.

Ikea assured Newsweek that it plans to keep the cost of its products as low as possible, but we're almost certain that consumers will see rising prices in its stores. Plus, there are tariff-related factors beyond the company's control. In addition to cabinetry and upholstered furniture, the October 1 tariff rollout includes a 25% increase on heavy trucks. While the exact amounts remain to be seen, the price surge is expected to impact shipping costs that typically result in price upturns. What's more, Trump has already imposed tariffs on all products coming from countries like China and Vietnam, both of which play a part in Ikea's manufacturing.

With the tariff cocktail that Trump has shaken up, it's very likely that Ikea will need to ratchet up prices. However, the language the company used in its Newsweek communique gives the impression that Ikea won't raise prices beyond what budget-conscious consumers can pay. With so much up in the air, it may have you putting household upgrades on hold for the time being. There are scores of ways to make home improvements without purchasing something new. For example, there are ways you can reface cabinets yourself without breaking the bank, and you can save on a full reno by using paint to breathe new life into old kitchen cabinets. And remember: Thrifted furniture is 100% tariff-proof. Hit your local stores or community boards to score high-quality new-to-you pieces for prices that even Ikea can't beat.