Ikea has revealed plans to axe 350 UK jobs as part of a global restructure as it bids to cater for a changing customer profile.profile.
The Swedish furniture giant will accelerate its transformation plan, invest more in new and existing Ikea stores and fulfilment centres, develop city-centre formats and focus more on its ecommerce platform.
Over the coming two years, Ikea will create 11,500 new jobs but could make as many as 7,500 people redundant. Of those, 350 could be in the UK and Ireland, it said. Ikea employs 160,000 people globally with 12,000 in the UK and Ireland.
The retailer will create 30 new ‘touchpoints’ over this period.
Ikea has been focused on a more convenient, city-centre approach in the UK. It opened a new ‘planning studio’ on Tottenham Court Road last month.
Group chief executive Jesper Brodin said: “We continue to grow and perform strongly. At the same time, we recognise that the retail landscape is transforming at a scale and pace we’ve never seen before. As customer behaviours change rapidly, we are investing and developing our business to meet their needs in better and new ways.
“We will put greater emphasis on making our existing stores even better and taking the opportunity to renew and reinvent our business in a way that is inspired by our history, culture and values.”
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