Ikea says police search French offices in staff policing probe

PARIS (Reuters) - The French unit of Swedish furniture retailer Ikea (IKEA.UL) said on Thursday police had searched its French headquarters as part of a probe into how it gathered information on staff and clients.

"A search is currently underway in Ikea France's headquarters," the company said in an emailed statement.

"Ikea France has been cooperating with police and judicial authorities. Allegations of breach of privacy are taken very seriously and Ikea has done everything to ensure that practices contrary to its values cannot happen again."

In April 2012, the company acknowledged practices in breach of its ethical standards and overhauled its management team the following month.

"Ikea has since set up an organization safeguarding its values and ethical standards," the statement said.

(Reporting by Gerard Bon, Writing by Natalie Huet; editing by Leigh Thomas and David Evans)