On Monday 22 February, Boris Johnson announced the UK government's plans for a route out of lockdown, explaining the four stages that are to come, with Stage 1 beginning on 8 March.
Right now, all non-essential retailers are closed and with spring and Easter being popular times to give our homes a bit of a makeover, many people are asking: when will Ikea open?
The answer is that Ikea – and all other shops – could open on Monday 12 April which is when Stage 2 of the restrictions are due to be lifted. At the same time, restaurants and pub gardens will be allowed to serve customers sitting outdoors and hairdressers and beauty salons can also re-open.
For that to happen, Stage 1 must be completed successfully: the government says that each stage will be assessed against four tests before restrictions ease. Those tests are:
- The vaccine deployment programme continues successfully.
- Evidence shows vaccines are sufficiently effective in reducing hospitalisations and deaths in those vaccinated.
- Infection rates do not risk a surge in hospitalisations which would put unsustainable pressure on the NHS.
- The government's assessment of the risks is not fundamentally changed by new variants of the virus.
So all being well, we'll enter Stage 2 on Monday 12 April and we'll be able to shop in person in Ikea again.
When Ikea does reopen its stores it is asking that you either shop alone or with one other member of your household if you need special assistance or if you need to bring your children with you. As with other stores, there will be a queuing system outside to manage the number of people entering the stores and social distancing signage inside the stores. Payment will be cashless only.
Ikea restaurants will be closed but the bistros will be open for takeaways, and the Swedish Food Market will be open for make-at-home meatballs and other Swedish favourites. The crèche and other indoor and outdoor play areas will remain closed.
In the meantime, Ikea is running click and collect in all of its stores, while the Ikea UK website is open for business offering contact-free doorstep deliveries – so if you want to make your home office a more productive space or you're after some outdoor furniture so you can enjoy your garden as the weather warms up, then head over to Ikea's website to get what you need.
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Once Ikea does reopen you can expect social distancing rules, sanitising stations, a limit on the number of people that can shop together and huge queues both to get into the car park and the stores. So for the first few days at least, placing an order at Ikea online is likely to be the best option.
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Can I order from Ikea online?
Yes, you can and orders will be delivered to your doorstep contact-free. Ikea does point out that "due to high demand, we are currently experiencing longer delivery times than normal. We’re very grateful to our customers for their patience in these extraordinary times."
Browse more Ikea online departments
- Browse living room furniture, lighting and rugs at Ikea
- Browse storage and organisation at Ikea
- Browse bedroom furniture at Ikea
- Browse kids' bedroom ideas at Ikea
- Browse kitchen trolleys, appliances and cabinets at Ikea
Can I return orders to Ikea?
Yes, you can. Read Ikea's current returns policy here.
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