Ikea France goes on trial for spying on employees and customers

Ikea France is being prosecuted as a corporate entity along with several of its former executives in Versailles, southwest of Paris

Ikea's French subsidiary and several of its executives are set to go on trial Monday over accusations that they illegally spied on employees and customers.

Trade unions reported the furniture and home goods company to French authorities in 2012, accusing it of collecting personal data by fraudulent means and the illicit disclosure of personal information.

The unions specifically alleged that Ikea France had paid to gain access to police files that had information about targeted individuals. Ikea France denied spying on anyone, but Sweden-based Ikea fired four executives in France after French prosecutors opened a criminal probe in 2012.One accusation alleged that