A new IKEA store is launching in the - the first of its kind seen in the UK.
The Hammersmith store in West London will offer a small-store format on a high street - allowing shoppers to conveniently pop in to the store to shop their favourite products.
Taking inspiration from London life, with a focus on home furnishing accessories and a brand-new food offering, IKEA Hammersmith will feature everything customers know and love about the Swedish retailer, at their ease.
This is the latest step in IKEA's journey to become more affordable, accessible, and sustainable, as well as adapting to their customers' evolving shopping behaviours, reports the Express.
The new, compact store, allows visitors to pop in and purchase their favourite home furnishings as opposed to it being a typical IKEA big day out.
A great environmental achievement for the store, IKEA Hammersmith has been awarded a BREEAM ‘Outstanding’ certification, a sustainability rating given to less than one percent of UK new non-domestic buildings.
Some of the sustainability measures include ensuring that it's easily accessible, with links from four tube lines and 68 bus routes, and the opportunity for customers to trade in selected used furniture for IKEA vouchers.
Peter Jelkeby, Country Retail Manager and Chief Sustainability Officer at IKEA UK & Ireland said: "As shopping habits evolve and city centres continue to be redefined in the wake of the pandemic, this new store format marks the next step in our business transformation as we strive to make IKEA more accessible, affordable and sustainable.
"For the first time, Londoner’s will be able to take the tube to an IKEA store, pop in, grab a yellow bag and buy all the home furnishing accessories that make a house a home. They will also be able to explore the whole range, for delivery to a convenient collection point or directly to their home."
Customers can look forward to a focus on home accessories and soft furnishings; room sets will bring to life urban living, while larger home furniture pieces will also be on display and can be ordered for home delivery or delivery to nearby collection points.
The well-known Market Hall, where customers can usually find impulse buys such as candles and vases, will be replaced with products located next to the room sets they represent.
This is an effort to help customers with items already in mind, or for those looking for inspiration.
IKEA is obviously known for its sheer size, but IKEA Hammersmith will be approximately one quarter of the size of a traditional IKEA store.
