IKEA Croydon To Sell Essential Food Items To Key Workers & Vulnerable Customers

IKEA is opening its Croydon store’s Swedish Food Market from today, Tuesday 31^st March, in a move to help feed vulnerable customers and key workers. 

The Swedish Food Market – typically selling Swedish favourites and found after the tills in every IKEA – is opening to key workers including NHS workers and police, the elderly, most vulnerable and their carers and IKEA co-workers. 

In addition to its normal range including meatballs, salmon balls and vegetable balls, the store will stock much-needed staple items including bread, milk, butter and canned tomatoes. Other members of the public will not be admitted, and the rest of the store will remain closed. 

The decision to open Croydon’s doors to help feed those most in need comes due to the store’s close proximity to Croydon University Hospital, which at 1 mile away is one of the worst hit by coronavirus in London. The decision to stock food for NHS workers is a way IKEA can continue supporting these hospitals and the wider, local community – offering an additional way to access food for those with the greatest need. 

The store will initially open to key workers Monday – Friday between 8:00 – 12:00 and 14:00 – 16:00, whilst elderly and vulnerable customers and carers can visit between 12:00 – 14:00. Customers will be asked to show ID to gain entrance. 

In order to ensure customers and co-workers’ safety, IKEA is implementing the following measures: 

·        The flow within the Swedish Food Market will be managed to support  social distancing

·        2m social distancing will be measured with markings outside of store should queues arise, as well as throughout the market leading to tills

·        Hand sanitizer will be available at the entrance, exit and at tills, with all customers required to use it before entering

·        Customers are asked to keep 2m distance from one another and from co-workers

·        Screens at tills will separate co-workers and customers

·        Transactions will be card only

·        All areas will be thoroughly cleaned 

Gary Pearce, Store Manager at IKEA Croydon, says: “Now more than ever we need to come together as a community. We want to do everything we can to support those most in need, including NHS workers at our local hospitals. By offering some essential food items alongside our Swedish Food range, we hope that we can help to make their everyday lives just a little bit easier during these tough times.” 

A full list of staple items available can be seen below. A maximum of two of any one product can be purchased at one time. Products usually sold in IKEA’s Swedish Food Market are also available. 

·        Beans 2.62kg - £1.90

·        Chopped tomatoes 400g - £0.80

·        Milk 2 litre - £1.00

·        Butter 250g - £1.00

·        Loaf of bread - £1.00

·        Porridge, 45g Oat So Simple pot - £0.90 

IKEA Croydon can be found at: Valley Retail Park, Purley Way, Croydon CR0 4UZ

Source : IKEA

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