About IKEA UK

Our vision

To create a better everyday life for the many people

Our vision influences everything we do. The products we develop, the ideas we share, the materials we use, yes, every little thing.That’s why our vision is so powerful, and so delicate at the same time.

Our business idea

To offer a wide range of well- designed, functional home furnishing products at prices so low that as many people as possible will be able to afford them

Our business idea captures the essence of IKEA. It also captures our never ending desire to improve all aspect of our productoffer – and still being able to keep on lowering our prices. In today’s world, where more and more people live in small spaces in big cities, our business idea is more valid than ever.

The IKEA value chain

The IKEA value chain is our circle of life. It starts, ends and re-starts as we reach out tocurrent and potential customers to understand their needs and dreams and listen to their feedback.

The next step is when we use that knowledge to design and create products. We always strive to develop the IKEA products on the factory floor, and then go into full-scale manufacturing.

Next comes packaging and distribution where we do everything we can to transport the products as cost efficiently and as sustainable as possible.

As the products reach the different sales channels, we use different ways to inspire and interact with people so they discover and hopefully buy our products.

Then, once again, we’re back where we started – listening to and learning from both existing and potential customers.

At the centre of it all is our vision to create a better everyday life for the many people.

Our heritage

Ingvar Kamprad founded IKEA when he was 17 years old. Kamprad sold household products, such as pens, wallets and picture frames. The landscape in Småland at the time was stony and barren.

During Ingvar’s early life, people had very little means and had to make do with things on hand. Smålanders are therefore said tobe thrifty and innovative and take a practical approach to solving everyday problems. This heritage is one of the explanations for our approach to our work and our success.

Our culture and values

A strong IKEA business is dependent on a strong IKEA culture. It contributes significantly to a more efficient and effective IKEA organisation, which in turn sets us apart from others and helps us make a better IKEA for more of the many people.

Our values are the compass that guides us in our everyday ways of being and doing things. Our culture is formed when we put these values into action.

The 8 IKEA Key Values are:

• Togetherness
• Caring for people and planet
• Cost-consciousness
• Simplicity
• Renew and improve
• Different with a meaning
• Give and take responsibility
• Lead by example

One brand, many companies

Today, IKEA is a franchise business, with many companies operating under one IKEA brand. Inter IKEA Systems B.V. is the franchisor, responsible for continuously developing the IKEA Concept and ensuring its implementation in new and existing markets.

Ingka Group

Ingka Group, which IKEA UK is a part of, is the largest IKEA franchisee, generating about 90% of total IKEA Retail sales. Ingka Group operates IKEA stores in 31 countries, as well as IKEA ecommerce and digital solutions.

Ownership structure

The Ingka Group of companies (Ingka Holding B.V. and its controlled entities) has an ownership structure that ensures independence and a long-term approach.

INGKA Foundation in the Netherlands is the sole owner of Ingka Group. The Foundation does not have any owners; it owns itself. It also does not have any beneficial owners but holds its assets only on its own behalf. This means that nobody is entitled to the assets of INGKA Foundation.

Its’ funds can only be used in two ways: it can be reinvested in the Ingka Group or donated for charitable purposes through the IKEA Foundation.

IKEA Foundation

IKEA Foundation is a philanthropic organisation that provides grants for programs that help families living in poverty afford a better everyday life, and fight and cope with climate change. It is funded by INGKA Foundation and is independent of the IKEA retail business.

Generally, they have a budget of around €200 million each year.

Ingka Group’s three businesses

Ingka Group is made up of three businesses, working closely together:

• IKEA Retail is the core business, and continues to expand with new IKEA stores in different sizes and formats, fulfilment units and digital solutions. IKEA UK is part of this core business.
• Ingka Centres is one of the world’s largest shopping centre businesses, with vibrant meeting places across Europe and China. The first shopping centre in the UK operated by Ingka Centres opened in February 2022; Livat Hammersmith in West London has 33 shops and is closely connected to the IKEA Hammersmith store. Ingka Centres employs seven people in the UK.
• Ingka Investments makes purpose-led investments and acquisitions to secure long- term financial independence and support growth and sustainability commitments. In the UK, Ingka Investment has purchased the 214 Oxford Street (Oxford Circus) building, to support the transformation of IKEA UK’s retail business, bringing IKEA closer to customers by opening new IKEA store formats in city locations.
  They’ve also invested in a windfarm in North Scotland to produced clean energy for IKEA UK’s operations.

IKEA UK

IKEA UK runs the IKEA business, sales, and marketing of IKEA products and services in the UK, with a responsibility for the IKEA brand in the UK. We are a part of Ingka Group and operate and develop all IKEA stores, units, and distribution centres in UK.

Organisation

IKEA retailing has more than 80 years of history, but we believe we are just at the beginning, and we are developing a new world of IKEA retailing right now. 

Today we have have:

• 20 full-sized stores
• 1 city centre store in London’s Hammersmith
• 1 Order and Collection Point in Aberdeen
• 3 Plan and Order Points
• 3 Distribution Centres
• 1 Remote customer meeting point to help support our customers remotely
• A wind farm in Scotland to produce clean energy for our stores and units