Ikea retailer Ingka Group has begun piloting store-in-store concepts with third-party retailers across Europe in a bid to make its specialty big-box stores “more relevant, convenient and inspiring for customers.”
The first concept to come to life will be the spring introduction of French sporting goods retailer Decathlon at the Ikea store in the London borough of Croydon — marking the first time the retailer will host another global brand in one of its “blue boxes.” The Decathlon store will be a standalone unit with a dedicated customer entrance and will take up roughly 12,800 square feet of the 270,000-square-foot Ikea store.
“Our ambition is to become as accessible as ever and give customers more reasons to visit us wherever they are on their home journey,” said Javier Quiñones, Commercial Manager at Ingka Group Ikea in a statement. “By testing new ways of using our retail space together with other retailers, we want to further evolve our stores into inviting destinations that reflect what customers want today — convenience, inspiration and an expanded offer.”
Regional Retailers Also Popping up at Ikea’s in Austria, Sweden
Similar partnerships also are already underway in a number of other European markets, with each designed to bring complementary products and services to Ikea shoppers.
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In Austria, Ingka is investing €11 million ($12.95 million) in the biggest revamp of its store in Klagenfurt since it opened 17 years ago. Once the renovation is completed this fall, approximately 28,000 square feet will be made available for other retailers, including discount home and garden specialist Thomas Philipps.
In Sweden, Ikea already has launched a pilot with Nordic consumer electronics retailer Kjell & Company in its two stores in Stockholm and Kalmar, part of an 18-month pilot that began in late 2025. These store-in-stores focus on smart home and other technology products that complement Ikea offerings.
Ikea’s Own Shop-in-Shops, Store Expansion Plans
And Ikea itself recently entered the store-in-store arena in the U.S. with the debut of small-format kitchen and laundry planning centers in 10 Best Buy stores across Florida and Texas.
These store-in-store partnerships haven’t lessened the company’s focus on its own brick-and-mortar expansion, however. Through Ingka’s fiscal 2026 the company plans to invest more than €5 billion ($5.89 billion) in opening new locations and improving existing ones across most of its 32 markets, including 10 new stores in the U.S.
