Dundee, Scotland, March 23, 2026, 21:41 GMT
IKEA’s Dundee location finally opened its doors at 10 a.m. Monday, following a four-day setback tied to paperwork issues that held up last week’s debut of the Plan and Order Point at Kingsway West Retail Park. The UK store locator now marks the new, smaller-format shop as open for business. 1
This isn’t just about a single store. With the new opening, Dundee now gets its first taste of IKEA, marking a notable move as Ingka—the operator behind most IKEA outlets—pushes deeper into smaller, urban and suburban formats rather than sticking to the typical sprawling, out-of-town stores. Earlier this month, Ingka announced plans for 20 additional compact sites in Europe and North America within the next six months. 2
The launch lands in the middle of a broader shake-up. Just last week, Ingka said it would eliminate 800 office roles to speed up decision-making and cut costs, but spending on stores isn’t slowing. Back in February, Reuters reported the company’s plans for over 5 billion euros ($5.9 billion) of investment in fresh stores and updates through 2024-2026, even after annual sales dropped to their lowest point since 2021. 3
A Plan and Order Point isn’t set up like a typical warehouse store. Instead, it’s a smaller space focused on design and ordering, letting customers schedule free planning sessions for kitchens, bedrooms, and living rooms. There are also self-service options and the ability to set up click-and-collect, handle returns, or arrange home delivery from the full IKEA selection. 4
The Dundee site stocks roughly 250 compact home-furnishing products on the spot, with bigger-ticket items generally ordered for later delivery. “Designed to inspire,” is how Kevin Coventry, IKEA’s market manager, described the setup. According to Insight DIY, shoppers will find 10 kitchen displays, an appliance studio, plus eight PAX wardrobe setups in the space. 5
IKEA pushed back its planned March 19 opening after the company hadn’t yet received a Certificate of Occupation, the signoff needed before welcoming customers. Two days on, Dundee Culture said the retailer had locked in a new date—March 23—once the paperwork came through. 6
Dundee joins the ongoing UK expansion. According to company releases, IKEA added seven UK sites last year: city-centre locations on Oxford Street and in Brighton, Plan and Order Points in Hull and York, plus smaller stores in Harlow, Norwich, and Chester. Last July, IKEA UK & Ireland chief Peter Jelkeby described the new small-format shops as designed for “more personalised and accessible retail experience.” 5
IKEA’s new Dundee location adds to its footprint in Scotland, joining existing stores in Edinburgh and Glasgow. Aberdeen is next in line for a Plan and Order Point, the company said in its statement. 5
Still, there are drawbacks. Plan and Order Points don’t stock much—if anything—for shoppers wanting same-day pickup, so Dundee customers will largely have to wait on delivery or collect their larger items later. IKEA is pushing ahead with the rollout after two years of declining sales. 4
Yet physical locations are “at the centre” of IKEA’s strategy, Ingka CEO Juvencio Maeztu said March 11, describing the retailer’s model as a mix of digital and bricks-and-mortar. Smaller stores aren’t replacing the big-box footprint—they’re supposed to add support for fulfilment and complement existing sites. 7
