Homewares giant Ikea has announced it will close all its UK stores tomorrow as a “precautionary measure against the ongoing risk” posed to staff and customers by the coronavirus.
Ikea made the announcement today and said all its stores in the UK would be temporarily closed to customers from 6pm on Friday, March 20.
The retailer said it had already closed all restaurants and cafes on its sites, added enhanced cleaning routines and closed outside playground facilities, but retail manager for the UK Peter Jelkeby said the decision was to protect staff and customers.
“These are extraordinary times, and our absolute priority is to ensure the health and safety of our customers and co-workers,” he said.
“We have listened carefully to them, to the advice of the UK and Ireland governments, and have been closely monitoring the situation as this evolves. This is the right decision for us to take at this point. We look forward to welcoming our customers back to our stores in the future.”
Ikea said that customers would still be able to shop on its website and have products delivered directly to their homes.
The retailer said it is “committed to supporting its co-workers in the best possible way during this complex and fast-evolving situation”.
Jelkeby said: “As a company who cares deeply about people and the planet, our thoughts are with all those affected by the virus and those working tirelessly to care for them.”
Ikea follows other retailers like Clarks, which announced it would be temporarily closing all UK and Irish stores today.
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