IKEA will open three new small-format stores in Chester, Harlow, and Norwich later in 2025, as part of the brand's strategy to increase accessibility for customers. The stores will be situated on former Homebase sites at Greyhound Retail Park (Chester), Harlow Retail Park (Harlow), and Hall Road Retail Park (Norwich).
These compact stores will offer a streamlined version of the traditional IKEA experience, featuring room sets, a market hall, and planning services. Customers will have access to approximately 5,000 product lines, with 3,000 items available for immediate purchase. Digital tools will provide access to the full range, along with click-and-collect services and personalised design support. Each location will also include a takeaway food section, offering IKEA's signature meatballs.
The new openings reflect IKEA's shift towards smaller, more centrally located stores, aiming to be closer to customers' daily lives. Peter Jelkeby, CEO and Chief Sustainability Officer of IKEA UK and Ireland, stated, 'We know many people want to shop with IKEA but in some instances, we are just too far away.' He emphasised the importance of placing stores in more accessible locations.
The Chester, Harlow, and Norwich stores are part of IKEA's expansion plan to increase convenience. These new sites will join the company's existing 21 full-sized stores across the UK.
In addition to the three new locations, IKEA plans to open a store on Oxford Street, London, in spring 2025, followed by another city centre store in Brighton later in the year. Jelkeby noted that the chosen areas have long been of interest to IKEA, expressing excitement about offering a "refreshingly compact format" to these communities.
Source: www.365retail.co.uk