Ikea suppliers are helping to strip Romania of some of Europe’s last ancient forests at a rate far higher than in neighbouring countries, Greenpeace said in a new report, urging the world’s biggest furniture retailer to halt sourcing from areas that scientists say should be strictly protected.

In a detailed investigation titled Felling the Future: Ikea’s Sourcing Threatens Romania’s Irreplaceable Forests, Greenpeace Central and Eastern Europe said it used satellite imagery and on-the-ground checks to track a loss of almost 59 square kilometres of high-biodiversity forest in 2024 alone. 

The group found that the loss of “high biodiversity value forests” in Romania is 2.5 times faster than in Poland or Ukraine.

“This is not only an ecological tragedy, but also a direct blow to Romania’s climate resilience and to Europe’s credibility in protecting nature,” Robert Cyglicki, Greenpeace’s head of biodiversity for Central and Eastern Europe, told bne IntelliNews.

Ikea’s market power under scrutiny

Greenpeace said a host of timber companies exploit Romania’s Carpathian forests, but singled out Ikea because of its sheer market clout and its carefully cultivated image of environmental stewardship.

Ingka Investments — one of three core businesses within the Ingka Group that owns and operates Ikea’s retail operations — has become Romania’s largest private forest owner, with around 50,000 hectares under its control. Beyond its own holdings, Ikea suppliers source extensively from state-managed forests overseen by the national agency Romsilva.

Greenpeace’s analysis estimates that Ikea’s sourcing from Romania amounts to roughly 400,000 cubic metres of virgin timber each year. Based on Carpathian forestry data, that volume translates to about 20 square kilometres of old forest logged annually.

“The accelerated loss of High-Biodiversity-Value Forests in Romania is the result of a broader systemic problem in forest governance and timber markets — so yes, multiple companies are responsible,” Cyglicki said. “However, Ikea’s role stands out because of the scale of its sourcing and its dominant position on the Romanian timber market … Ikea is not just “one of many players” — it is the single biggest player, and therefore disproportionately responsible.” 

Disputed protection

Greenpeace has repeatedly shared maps of so-called No-Logging Areas with Ikea, flagging tracts that conservation scientists say should be permanently off limits. 

The company, according to the report, defended sourcing from certain sites on the grounds that past human disturbance disqualified them from strict protection.

European conservation guidelines, however, indicate that even forests with some historical impact can retain exceptional biodiversity if ecological continuity remains intact. The Romanian standard of the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), the certification Ikea relies on for proof of responsible sourcing, has not been updated since 2017 and does not incorporate the EU Biodiversity Strategy’s goal of 10% strict protection. Greenpeace argues that this renders the FSC label “little more than a marketing tool” in Romania’s context.

“We have evidence that shows that IKEA is deliberately ignoring warnings to stay out of precious forests that should be protected,” Cyglicki said. “Its suppliers are sourcing wood from Europe’s richest wildlife habitats, including one of the last ancient forests of the Carpathians. This starkly contradicts the company’s claims of responsible forest management, sustainable sourcing, and commitment to protect biodiversity.”

The report cites the Rusca Montană Forest as one of the areas where Ikea-linked suppliers have been active. The forest is a rare ancient ecosystem supporting brown bears, lynx and endangered bird species.

Legal yet unsustainable

Greenpeace acknowledged that much of the logging may be legal under Romanian law but said it violates the spirit of European biodiversity policy. “Sourcing wood from these areas drives irreversible biodiversity loss and contributes to the severe effects of climate change,” the report said.

Cyglicki drew a vivid analogy: “If Ikea truly wants to honour its commitment to responsibly sourcing, it must go beyond legal compliance and safeguard what cannot be replaced. After all, no one would ever tear apart the pyramids of Egypt just to reuse the stones - yet that’s exactly what is happening to our natural heritage. These forests are priceless.”

Romanian authorities have yet to react to the findings. Ikea has not publicly addressed the latest Greenpeace report. Cyglicki said the company has previously rejected Greenpeace’s assertions, arguing it is not Ikea’s duty to campaign for the stricter protection of Romania’s forests.

“Since they [Ikea] advertise themselves as ‘leaders in sustainability’, we think they should be heavily concerned about the natural value of forests that ultimately end up in fast-furniture products,” he said.

Regional concerns

Greenpeace said it continues to investigate destructive logging across the broader Carpathian range, which stretches into Ukraine, Poland and Slovakia. Cyglicki declined to confirm whether Ikea suppliers in other countries are under active scrutiny but pledged that any evidence of major brands driving forest loss would be released.

Romania’s Carpathian Mountains are home to some of Europe’s richest wildlife habitats and act as a crucial carbon sink. Environmentalists warn that continued loss of these forests threatens the continent’s climate goals and accelerates species decline.