IKEA opens a large store in London for the first time in fourteen years. The new Greenwich branch forms part of the new strategy, with the furniture giant focusing more on capitals.

The new department store has a garden and a rest pavilion on the roof. The new store will also be equipped with one of the first sustainable laboratories, where visitors can learn about the recycling or reuse of products and the cultivation of food.

IKEA already has four other large department stores in the London area. Last October, the first city shop location, which is much smaller than a usual IKEA, opened its doors in the British capital.

In the long run, IKEA wants fewer large department stores outside the city. The furniture giant wants to focus instead on the ten megacities worldwide, including London, New York and Tokyo. Innovative concepts are being tested there, such as an establishment that focuses entirely on kitchens in Stockholm or one with many mattresses and cupboards in Madrid.