IKEA Hyderabad accused of racism against Manipuri woman, responds after outrage

Senior journalist Nitin Sethi has accused IKEA Hyderabad of racism after he alleged that while checking out their purchases, store officials cross-checked only the purchases made by his wife after checkout, singling her out. Narrating the incident through a social media post, Nitin stated that only his wife, who hails from Manipur, was frisked for goods she purchased. “Racist treatment at @IKEAIndia store in Hyderabad. Only my wife, from Manipur got frisked for goods she bought. No one else before us. And then all supervisory staff came to defend the racism,” he wrote in a series of tweets.

In another tweet, Nitin Sethi — who has reported on various issues over the past two decades and is a part of the Reporters’ Collective — alleged, “Great show from an 'international store'. Cheers to another usual day. #racism. The person who checked my wife's shopping bags, even sniggered that we had bought everything, didn't even care to reply why we were singled put. And the supervisors said, yeah call police if you want, we will deal. And it didnt end there. Daily racism that our people face.(sic).”

Aikojim Sunita also replied to Nitin’s tweet, saying that she was the only one whose purchases were cross-checked individually after the checkout. “I was one of the many who bought stuffs at @IKEAIndia Hyderabad today. but i was the only one whose purchased items were checked one by one. if this is not #racism then what is it? the senior staffs there were far from helpful. does @IKEA endorse such behavior? (sic),” she said in her post.

Racist treatment at @IKEAIndia store in Hyderabad. Only my wife, from Manipur got frisked for goods she bought. No one else before us. And then all supervisory staff came to defend the racism. Great show from an 'international store'. Cheers to another usual day. #racism.

— Nitin Sethi (@nit_set) August 28, 2022

I was one of the many who bought stuffs at @IKEAIndia Hyderabad today. but i was the only one whose purchased items were checked one by one. if this is not #racism then what is it? the senior staffs there were far from helpful. does @IKEA endorse such behavior? https://t.co/DAeYW6hP2E

— akoijam sunita (@akoi_Jam) August 28, 2022

Meanwhile, the official handle of IKEA India responded to the allegations, claiming that “we believe that equality is a human right, and we condemn all forms of racism and prejudice. We regret the inconvenience caused to you while following the mandatory billing protocol.” However, the company denied the allegations of racism, claiming that all customers who use the self-checkout option at the store “are requested for a final check before leaving the store to ensure the billing is correct and customers do not face any problems regarding double charging, repeat scanning of products etc”.  

As a process, customers who self-checkout are requested for a final check before leaving the store to ensure the billing is correct and customers do not face any problems regarding double charging, repeat scanning of products etc. (2/3)

— IKEAIndia (@IKEAIndia) August 28, 2022

IKEA had also stated that customers who self-checkout were requested for a final check before leaving the store “to ensure the billing is correct and customers do not face any problems regarding double charging, repeat scanning of products etc.” However, Akoijam has responded to it by saying “if it was just a simple matter of final checking i won't be tweeting here. kindly refrain from responding without reading properly. makes your company look more irresponsible and insensitive.”

The incident sparked outrage on social media, with users slamming the alleged discrimination and calling for the boycott of the store, while others stood in support of Aikojim Sunita.