The Old Country Newsletter – Fighting in the EU, Lucky Lindy & IKEA

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Statistics you didn’t ask for

Sweden is a global leader in government transparency thanks to its unique constitutional law known as the Principle of Public Access (Offentlighetsprincipen). Enshrined in the Freedom of the Press Act of 1766, it is the world’s oldest freedom of information law. This groundbreaking principle allows anyone—Swedish citizens or foreigners—to request and access official documents held by public authorities.

Today, Sweden processes millions of document requests each year, with state agencies and municipalities legally required to respond “promptly.” Surveys show that over 80% of Swedish journalists rely on public documents in their reporting, and about 40% of Swedes say they have used their access rights at least once.

The principle is deeply rooted in Swedish civic culture and serves as a foundation for the country’s low levels of corruption and high trust in public institutions.

In other news

🕊️ A Swedish lesser black-backed gull migrating from Congo-Kinshasa to Sweden was captured by locals in Ethiopia, who suspected it of being a spy due to a transmitter on its back. The device was actually part of a Swedish research project tracking seabirds, but after authorities were contacted, the bird was never released and the transmitter stopped sending signals.

📚 Several university professors in Sweden are raising concerns about students' growing knowledge gaps, according to TV4 News. Common issues include spelling mistakes, short answers, and poor vocabulary, with psychology professor Karin Brocki noting that even top students at Uppsala University struggle with reading comprehension and require detailed exam guidance.

🗳️ Sweden’s Left Party has reported Christian Democrat MEP Alice Teodorescu Måwe to the police for alleged assault against a staff member at the European Parliament in Brussels. Teodorescu Måwe and the Christian Democrats deny the accusation, claiming instead that she was the one attacked after confronting the staffer for taking unauthorized photos of her. The incident is under investigation, and the European Parliament's spokesperson has stated that initial findings support MEP Teodorescu Måwe’s account of events.

Swedish Government Proposes Tighter Leash on Public Service Media Funding and Focus

Legacy Lanterns – shedding light on the stories of the past

Ingvar – Kamprad – Elmtaryd – Agunnaryd - IKEA

This week, we’re launching a new article series focusing on something Swedes have long been known for: innovation and entrepreneurship. We begin with perhaps the greatest of them all — the story of IKEA and Ingvar Kamprad.

50 years ago, a small revolution occurred in the Swedish furniture industry. A 32-year-old man named Ingvar Kamprad opened an Ikea store in Älmhult. It was the largest furniture showroom in Scandinavia, with 6,700 square meters of retail space.

Few believed it was possible to run such a large store in such a small town. But it turned out to be the beginning of a success story that would eventually make Ikea a natural part of everyday life around the world.

Ingvar Kamprad had been involved in sales since he learned to ride a bike. As a child, he sold matches to neighbors around the Elmtaryd farm near Agunnaryd in Småland, where he grew up. He bought large quantities cheaply enough to sell them at a low price and still make a profit. Seventy years later, he would become the seventh richest person in the world, with a net worth of 49 billion dollars.

Started Ikea in 1943

Over time, he also sold fish, seeds, Christmas decorations, and ballpoint pens. And in 1943, at the age of 17, he founded the company Ikea.

Today, it’s hard to grasp how innovative Ikea was. Being able to see furniture in a catalog before purchasing it and shopping at a store located far from large urban areas were unheard of in the 1950s.

But Kamprad realized earlier than most the changes that car ownership would bring. A store, it turned out, could very well be a destination — especially if the furniture was cheaper than anywhere else and sold in flat packs that were easy to transport home.

Ikea grew rapidly in the 1960s. The biggest event was the opening of the store in Kungens Kurva in 1965. Thousands of people lined up at the entrance. The building covered 48,000 square meters. A store that large in a suburb next to a highway seemed impossible.

But Kamprad sensed that young families moving into nearby housing developments would want to buy new, affordable furniture instead of inheriting old pieces from relatives.

Eventually, the store in Kungens Kurva would become a tourist attraction, drawing more visitors than the nearby amusement parks. There was also a restaurant serving meatballs and other traditional Swedish dishes. Ikea began to be associated with “Swedishness.”

Expanded abroad

Until then, the furniture industry had been national, often local. But Ikea, with its bright and functional furniture, represented a shift. Young families in other countries had similar tastes to Swedes and faced the same issues with high prices.

Kamprad was initially unsure whether his concept could be exported, but changed his mind when he saw how well Ikea performed in Norway after a store opened outside Oslo. In 1973, the first store outside the Nordic region was opened in Switzerland.

Ikea’s expansion meant that the company became an ambassador for Sweden abroad. The furniture carried Swedish names, and the “du-reform” — using informal address — which Ikea adopted a decade before it became widespread in Swedish society, was exported to Europe. The emphasis on equality within the company was also reflected in its dress code — the so-called “Ikea uniform,” consisting of jeans, shirt, and sweater.

In 1976, Ingvar Kamprad wrote The Testament of a Furniture Dealer, which included nine core theses to preserve Ikea’s internal culture. However, by the 1980s, he began to feel uneasy.

The company had expanded quickly — perhaps too quickly. Thus, “Kraft 80” was launched, a program for self-reflection and self-criticism. The values of thrift and staying grounded were to be instilled in the staff, for instance through the “Year of Saving” in 1990.

The New Swedish Movement

In 1999, Ingvar Kamprad initiated “Employee Day,” a way to thank the staff for their contributions to the company’s success during the past century. All profits earned by the company on this day go to the employees, and everyone, regardless of position, receives the same bonus.

Today, Ikea exists all over the world, although growth has not always kept the same pace as before. The company’s influence has also been enormous. Furniture prices have dropped. Self-service, home delivery, and DIY assembly have become standard in many other businesses as well. The concept of stores on cheap land outside cities has also become common.

Ikea has not only influenced how Sweden and Swedishness are perceived abroad, but also how we view ourselves. The company has become an integral part of our lives, and making the occasional trip to an Ikea store is as natural as going to the mall or the pharmacy.

IKEA opened its first store in the United States in 1985, and has now grown into a global giant with over 270 stores worldwide and around 120,000 employees across the group.

Do you have a story from the past that could be worth sharing? I bet you do! Or would you like to see something else in the newsletter and have suggestions for topics? If so, please reach out!