Not to completely spring to IKEAs defense here, but I heard they really were affected by production and shipping problems during covid. It's reasonable prices would go up, and at least good that they are going down again.
Yes at least they bring them back down. Most companies just said fuck it, let’s keep the price jacked! Greedy Capitalism at its second worst. First worst is how they destroy the environment.
The trick is to draw people from buying furniture from the big box store to their store and still more to the growing population that is now price conscious.
Let me know when they bring back wood. Not even real wood - I'd do beaver chow - but enough of this cheap-ass disposable paper-and-air single-use crap that can't survive a house move for the same price as its former wood self.