IKEA opens Croydon store’s Swedish Food Market for vulnerable customers and key workers

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

The Swedish Food Market – which typically sells Swedish food items and is located after the tills in every IKEA – is opening to key workers including NHS staff and police, as well as vulnerable customers and their carers, and IKEA co-workers. Other members of the public will not be admitted, and the rest of the store will remain closed.

In addition to the products usually sold in the Swedish Food Market such as meatballs, salmon balls and vegetable balls, the store will stock staple items including bread, milk, beans, butter, porridge and canned tomatoes. A maximum of two of any one product can be purchased at one time.

IKEA said 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 in Greater London. It added that the decision to stock food for NHS workers ‘is a way that IKEA can continue supporting these hospitals and the wider, local community – offering access food for those with the greatest need’.

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

To ensure customers and co-workers’ safety, IKEA has implemented 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 the 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 of IKEA Croydon, said: “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.”

 

IKEA Croydon is at Valley Retail Park on Purley Way in Croydon