This flatpack nation: Ten per cent of all furniture bought by UK householders is from Ikea



What goes where? Assembling Ikea furniture has become the nation's past-time

If that bookcase or sofa looks familiar next time you pop round to see the neighbours, there’s probably a good reason.

Almost ten per cent of furniture bought in the UK now comes from the same retailer, research shows.

We buy so much from Ikea that our homes are turning into ­identikit models of its showrooms, the researchers said.

More than a third of families have bought Ikea items in the past three years, and twice as many have ­visited a store than regularly go to church on a Sunday.



This is despite the Swedish retailer having just 18 stores in the country and its ­flatpack products’ reputation as difficult to assemble.

The study by retail analysts Mintel puts Ikea’s market share at 9.6 per cent, meaning that almost one in every ten pounds spent on anything from beds to tables and chairs goes through its tills.

It has increased its share even though the slowdown in the ­housing market has seen overall sales in the furniture industry fall.

DFS, which has 79 stores, and Argos were joint second in the list of furniture chains with the ­biggest sales, with 6 per cent of the market each.

They were followed by Homestyle, whose 573 outlets include the familiar names of Harveys, Bensons and the Bed Shed.

Ikea’s success is not limited to Britain.

Astonishingly, Mintel estimates that one in ten babies born in Europe today has been conceived in a bed bought from Ikea. The store has benefited from the low prices it charges, with sofas avail­able for just over £100.







The chain’s Billy bookcase, with versions on sale for as little as £10, is one of its most popular items.

The buy-to-let revolution has also been in its favour because kitting out a second home in neutral, cheap and inoffensive furniture helps the owners to rent it out more quickly.

And because the furniture rarely changes in terms of style and fashion, it is easy to replace.

Trade journal Marketing said: ‘It is a Swedish success story. Almost a third of adults have bought ­furniture from Ikea in the past three years.

‘Offering simple designs at value prices, Ikea has meant stylish interior decor is possible on even the most meagre of budgets.

However, the downside of its value and popularity is a frustrating shopper experience and ­customer service.’

Ikea has faced claims that its giant blue and yellow warehouses are difficult to navigate around.

And once the flatpack furniture is home, it often doesn’t get any easier.

Many shoppers have suffered the frustration of putting together a bookcase, desk or table and chairs only to find a crucial piece is missing, meaning a dispiriting trek back to the store. Mintel said Ikea would be doing even better if it could find suitable new sites.

‘The progress of Ikea in the UK continues to be held back by difficulties finding locations for new stores, but even with only 18 it has a sizeable lead over other furniture specialists,’ it said.

‘The opening of its Southampton store in 2009 helped to hold up sales otherwise hit by the recession, but operating margins have declined from 11 per cent in 2005 to just 3.5 per cent in 2009.’