Ikea has said it "deeply regrets" the use of political prisoners as forced labour in communist East Germany by some of its suppliers…[Ikea] asked accountants Ernst & Young to look into the matter, dating back 25-30 years. The study indicates that political and criminal prisoners were involved in manufacturing for Ikea suppliers. It also said that Ikea representatives at the time knew that political prisoners were possibly used…Those former prisoners may now expect compensation. Rainer Wagner, chairman of the victims' group UOKG, has previously said that Ikea was just one of many companies that benefited from the use of forced prison labour in the former GDR from the 1960s to 1980s…"Ikea has taken the lead on this, for which we are very grateful," Mr Wagner told a news conference in Berlin, where the findings of the report were presented.