Hundreds of employees, trade unionists and even customers spied on: nine years after the revelation of the facts in the press, Ikea France is being tried from today at the Criminal Court of Versailles.
Along with the sign, fifteen people, including two former CEOs, police officers and the boss of a private security company are also dismissed in this case which had thrown a harsh light on the practices of the Swedish furniture giant.
In a safe at the headquarters of Ikea, the investigators had indeed got their hands on lists of people "to be tested" and invoices drawn up, for more than 600,000 euros per year, in the name of several security companies.
Which, often mounted by former police officers, used their networks to obtain, for remuneration (80 euros), the consultation of judicial files.
Surveys of unhappy customers
It was mainly for Ikea to recover the antecedents and records of candidates for employment to avoid, according to internal documents, recruiting "thieves" or "potential radical Islamists".
But also, to investigate the origin of their lifestyle, to police unionists, employees too demanding and even customers in dispute with the sign.
The documents seized show numerous rumors and a climate of paranoia: "a priori Gypsies and considered dangerous", "is addicted to drug trafficking", holds an "anti-globalist discourse" can we read in particular about some employees.
The mainstay of this policy, whose instructions came according to him from the CEO, Jean-François Paris, then director of the risk department, sent - illegally - lists of names, social security numbers and license plates by dozens, and made the 'interface with store managers, who talk about a "current" and "highly recommended" practice.
When the brand condemns its leaders
"Industrial espionage, with the help of a small Stasi set up in the service of private interests," denounces Me Yassine Yakouti, lawyer for around forty civil parties including the FO and CGT unions.
But financial omnipotence does not give all the rights, ”he lashes out.
"Ikea condemned the facts of personal data collection as soon as they were revealed, then put in place a serious action plan", underlines for its part the lawyer of the sign, Me Emmanuel Daoud, who refutes the accusations "of widespread espionage ”.
The trial is scheduled to last until April 1.