Ikea is undergoing a major transformation that extends beyond furniture retail, with Spain playing a central role. The focus is on logistics as a driver of growth and omnichannel expansion. The company reports a logistics plan that includes a €90 million investment over two years to deepen its omnichannel commitment and boost online sales. The plan centers on four pillars: opening new logistics centers, expanding store capacity, turning stores into regional logistics hubs, and forging new supplier partnerships. These moves are expected to deliver more Ikea distribution centers across Spain and address earlier challenges associated with postal service distribution.
In Spain, the subsidiary is pursuing an ambitious expansion that will add 40 new touchpoints this year, including 12 sales points and 32 order pickup points across varied formats. A roadmap for the next fiscal year plans to double these points with 11 sales locations and 26 delivery points. The network already comprises five distinct point formats and more than a hundred locations, plus more than 2,300 pickup points operated by both Ikea and third parties. Several drop-off points operate around the clock, seven days a week.
Barcelona as a testing ground
For example, Barcelona will host several planned delivery points that reduce the need to visit traditional large-format stores in the city. At the same time, Spain becomes a testing ground for more specialized Ikea stores, including formats aimed at serving offices or the food and beverage sector. Ikea’s push into office, bar, and restaurant concepts could reshape the rehabilitation sector and open a new market segment.
As part of this logistics push, Ikea plans to create more than 450 new jobs. About a quarter of the workforce handles logistics tasks such as order preparation. The first regional logistics center is slated to open at the end of June in San Sebastián de los Reyes (Madrid), a strategic transport and distribution hub on the Peninsula.
Kristien Nuyts, head of Fulfillment and a member of Ikea Spain’s management committee, commented on the broader business shift and the rise of online sales, noting that these forces are driving the company into a new dimension. In the previous fiscal year Ikea reported a turnover of €1,820 million, up 8.2 percent from 2021, with online sales accounting for 22 percent of revenue at €406 million. Improving logistics aims to reduce costs and strengthen customer relationships, which can be more complex when third-party agents are involved.
New logistics centers are planned in Illescas (Toledo) and Antequera (Málaga, with an investment of €60 million, and a new center in San Sebastián de los Reyes (Madrid) invested at €20 million to enhance store logistics capacities alongside its 13 large stores. Some stores will operate as regional logistics hubs, such as Jerez serving all of Andalusia; Zaragoza, which also supports Navarra and La Rioja; Valencia, Murcia, and Valladolid in the north. A €10 million investment accompanies these plans. The strategy also redefines supplier agreements, including a new alliance with DHL to manage the Illescas center and handle online operations, especially for retail orders and associated packaging, across the national network.
Ikea estimates it can deliver products to 80% of the Spanish population within 48 hours. Delays persist in some distant locations, but the company notes progress. “Today we have reached 80 locations delivering large orders and more than 2,000 smaller orders, and we will continue to grow,” a company spokesperson stated. The plans in Spain are extensive and ongoing, underscoring Ikea’s commitment to a more integrated logistics footprint across the country.
— Attribution: Ikea corporate communications and regional press notes