Ikea apologises after accidentally filming workers in staff bathrooms

Ikea has apologised after it accidentally filmed staff using the communal areas of bathrooms.

The furniture retailer published findings of an investigation into the use of the surveillance cameras at its stores and has said it is "sincerely sorry" about the incident, which took place in Peterborough.

According to the report, Ikea fitted security cameras above 10 bathrooms at a distribution centre in Peterborough in 2015 because it was concerned about alleged drug use by staff.

The investigation revealed two cameras had become dislodged and ended up filming the communal areas in one male and one female bathroom.

The report said that the cameras were in use until July 2017 and that no footage of toilet cubicles was captured.

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In a statement, the retailer said: "In November 2015, cameras were installed in the ceiling voids above, and corridors outside, 10 bathroom facilities across our Peterborough Distribution Centre.

"Whilst the intention at the time was to ensure the health and safety of co-workers, we understand the fact that colleagues were filmed unknowingly in these circumstances will have caused real concern; and for this we are sincerely sorry.

"Their installation followed serious concerns about the use of drugs onsite, which, owing to the nature of work carried out at the site, could have very serious consequences for the safety of our co-workers.

"The cameras placed within the voids were positioned only to record irregular activity in the ceiling voids. They were not intended to, and did not, record footage in the toilet cubicles themselves.

"However, as a result of ceiling tiles becoming dislodged, two cameras inadvertently recorded footage of the communal areas of two bathrooms for a period of time in 2017. The footage was not viewed at the time and was only recovered as part of these investigations.

"While our policies for the use of cameras have been updated since 2015, following this incident we have carefully reviewed and revised our policies once again to set out very strict controls for their use at any of our sites."

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