IKEA: when stores will reopen in England and Wales - and new Covid rules explained

Across England and Wales, non-essential retail will be able to welcome customers once again from mid April.

One of the most highly anticipated reopenings is home store giant IKEA - this is everything you need to know about when stores will reopen and what new rules will be in place for customers.

When will IKEA reopen?

For England and Wales, IKEA will reopen its doors to customers on Monday 12 April.

In Scotland, the retailer has had its stores open since Monday 5 April, and it has a less specific date of simply May for Northern Irish branches.

In Scotland, stores are open from 10am to 8pm, so it’s likely that branches in England and Wales will operate under similar opening hours, however IKEA has not confirmed opening hours for English and Welsh stores.

In England, the Government announced that longer opening hours would be permitted for non-essential retail shops in a bid to help those businesses “reopen and recover”.

Businesses will be allowed to stay open until 10pm from Monday to Saturday.

What rules will be in place?

For customers looking to shop in store when their local branch reopens, there will be rules in place in order to keep both shoppers and staff safe.

There will be a queuing system outside of the stores to help manage entry into the store, with IKEA encouraging customers to “shop alone if possible”. Entry into the stores will also be staggered, with a limited number of customers allowed inside at one time.

Additionally, customers are asked to wear a mask or face covering at all times. All IKEA staff will be required to wear a face covering, unless they are placed behind a perspex screen or are exempt due to health reasons.

“We’ll be carrying out plenty of top to toe cleaning and sterilising, with extra measures to make everywhere as safe as possible for everyone,” IKEA says.

Hand sanitiser stations will also be available throughout the store for your use.

Cashless payments, by card and contactless, preferred. Gift vouchers and other methods of payment will still be accepted.

Additionally, protective screens have also been installed at key points throughout the store, including checkouts, in order to provide an extra layer of protection. Staff will also receive on-site temperature checks prior to their shift.

Will restaurants and play areas be open?

In line with government guidelines, IKEA restaurants will remain closed until May 17, except Bistros, which operate as a contact-free takeaway service, will remain open, as well as Swedish Food Markets

The Småland crèche and other indoor, and outdoor, play areas will also remain closed for the time being.

Is delivery and click and collect still available?

IKEA has remained open online for contact free home delivery services, as well as for click and collect for all UK stores, except from Belfast branches.

IKEA states that all its deliveries are contact free and as a result, some products may potentially be temporarily unavailable.

For parcel deliveries to your home, your order will be delivered to your doorstep, and for larger deliveries, you will be contacted an hour prior to the delivery. Your order will then be delivered contact free to either your doorstep or a selected room of your choice, depending on what the Government guidelines are at the time.

Click and collect services are available at all UK IKEA stores, excluding Belfast, and external DPD pick up points.

When checking out, you will have the option to select your preferred store or pick up point, and even a next day collection slot. You’ll receive an email once your order is ready.

Click and collect is free for orders over £100, and for smaller orders the cost of collection at an IKEA store or collection point is £5. Alternatively, collection at an external DPD pick up point is £2.

If your order is bulky or otherwise difficult to carry, you should arrive with a member of your household or bubble to assist you, as IKEA staff have to observe two metre distancing and will be unable to physically help you.

‘Looking forward to welcoming customers’

Peter Jelkeby, UK and IE Country Retail Manager and CSO, said: “We’ve always believed that home is the most important place in the world.

“Over the past year, we’ve placed more demands on our homes than ever before, needing them to be spaces where we can live, work and play; fulfilling both our physical and emotional needs.

“Knowing that some of these shifts in our lifestyles, such as working from home, will become increasingly permanent over the coming years, our homes will need to become even more versatile and adaptable.

“As such, we’re really looking forward to welcoming customers safely back into our stores, inspiring people to live a better and more sustainable everyday through our range of affordable home furnishings.”