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Woman Bought Baskets from Ikea S’pore That are Allegedly Infested With Insects

2022-12-17 , 1:43 pm

While being one with nature sounds calming and relaxing, it probably isn’t always the case.

And it seems like a TikTok user with the username @wlr1002 didn’t have that great of an experience with the effects of nature when purchasing IKEA baskets recently.

In fact, her story might leave you feeling like you’ve got bugs in your stomach, just like how she found some of them in the Knipsa baskets that she bought.

She has since taken to social media to share her story.

Here’s what happened.

Contacted IKEA About Insects in Baskets but was Told that Insects Were From Her House

On Wednesday (14 December), TikTok user @wlr1002 uploaded a video on TikTok detailing her experience of buying and owning the seagrass-made baskets from IKEA.

According to the text in the video, she had previously purchased six Knipsa baskets for her nursery at home.

However, after she returned home, she found out that there were insects in the baskets, which cost $32.90 each.

Like any other logical customer, she called IKEA to enquire about the issue but was told that the insects came “from her house”.

Went Down to IKEA Again to Prove that Insects Existed in Store As Well

After being given such an unsatisfactory response, @wrl1002 decided to take matters into her own hands.

Quite literally.

Based on the footage she included in her TikTok video, she had made another trip down to IKEA and found another Knipsa basket on display at the store before whacking it against the floor multiple times.

After that, she zoomed in on the scene with her camera to show how tiny insects were seen coming out of the basket and crawling all over the floor, suggesting that the insects were not from her house.

@wlr1002 @IKEA @Ikea_official ♬ Oh no, oh no, oh no, no no – Hip Hop

Yup, those aren’t moving specks of dust on your screen. They’re bugs.

In the caption of her video, she tagged IKEA’s TikTok accounts and questioned why they are still selling such a product.

IKEA’s Email to Her

After uploading her initial TikTok video, @wlr1002 also posted another video that included a screenshot of an email that IKEA’s customer service department sent her.

@wlr1002 #ikea #ikeasg ♬ Lift Me Up – From Black Panther: Wakanda Forever – Music From and Inspired By – Rihanna

In the screenshot, IKEA apologised for the incident but highlighted that it has “procedures to avoid plagues in all warehouses and supply chain”.

“Due to it, it is unlikely this incident is related [to] the product itself,” IKEA added.

The Swedish furniture company also informed her that the brand’s warranty does not cover any plague-related issues.

@wlr1002 did not specify if this response from IKEA was sent to her before she posted her video of proof or not.

IKEA’s Newest Response

When speaking to TODAY yesterday (16 November), IKEA confirmed that they have temporarily halted the sale of Knipsa baskets both online and in-store in Singapore.

They added that they have begun their internal investigation into the case and have informed the product developers stationed in IKEA Sweden for assistance.

Apart from that, IKEA also clarified that it is currently “cross-checking mandates and standard operating procedures relating to compliance and audit quality checks on natural fibre products, from the supplier right up to warehousing and selling in the store”.

In addition, they have since contacted @wlr1002 and offered her a gift card to make up for her experience.

As for other customers who have purchased the same item, IKEA also encouraged them to reach out to them if there are unsatisfied with the basket.

“Should any customer feel uncomfortable with owning the same product, they are welcome to bring it back to our store for a full refund or contact the Ikea Customer Contact Centre at +65 6786 6868,” IKEA said.

Netizens’ Comments

Since posting her first video of whacking the basket, @wlr1002’s video has garnered over 164,800 views on TikTok.

Many called IKEA out for their poor product quality, while others expressed their approval and amusement at how the woman proved that the insects came from the product.

“The fact that she came down, sat down and WHACKED it #salute,” one commenter wrote.

“Ikea now sells pets too,” another commented jokingly.

Others criticised IKEA’s customer service and recounted similar experiences, with one person saying, “Their customer service hotline is the worst! [It] feels like talking to a teenager who has no life experience. So frustrating.”

On the other hand, after some users shared that they experienced insect infestations in their Knipsa baskets and rattan bags from IKEA, others pointed out that rattan or woven products often have insects.

And it seems like there’s a reason behind that.

“These weaved baskets are natural material containing insects and their eggs, that’s why solid plywood is treated with formaldehyde before being sold,” one TikTok user explained.

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Insect Infestations in Other IKEA Products

However, woven baskets aren’t the only thing infested with insects at IKEA.

Several commenters came forth with their own experiences of spotting insects in other products sold at IKEA,

“I bought a bed recently from Ikea and I had an infestation of such bugs… my walls and floor… was wondering why,” one user wrote.

“Previously, I bought my Dotter bed frame and it was infested with bed bugs… we didn’t have a bed bug problem until we bought the bed frame from Ikea,” another user shared.