Ikea receives 3,730 job applications in five days for Oxford Street store

Ikea has received 3,730 applications in just five days for its new Oxford Street store which is set to open in Spring 2025.

According to Ikea, the high level of interest in the 150 available positions marks the “largest-ever” response the home furnishing retailer has seen in the UK, “breaking all previous recruitment records”.

Successful applicants, who will start working from early March, will be offered multi-skilled roles, working across different departments. New co-workers will complete an eight-week onboarding programme based at Ikea Hammersmith before the Oxford Street store’s opening.

The new store will feature 6,000 Ikea products and dedicated spaces for expert advice and inspiration.

As a city store, Ikea Oxford Street will also include a showroom, market hall filled with home furnishing accessories, and a Swedish Deli serving dishes like Ikea plant and meatballs.

In addition, the store will offer free planning services for kitchens, wardrobes and bathrooms.

Matt Gould, market manager of Ikea London City, said: “This extraordinary response demonstrates the incredible appeal of joining the IKEA co-worker family. We’re delighted to see such enthusiasm for our most innovative store yet, and we look forward to building a diverse team that will help shape the future of urban retail in London.

“We’re looking for people from all walks of life to join our new Oxford Street team to help us achieve our mission of creating a better everyday life for the many. Our roles promise to offer variety, from replenishing the store to helping urban dwellers understand their home needs and wants. All co-workers will be given opportunities to learn valuable work and life skills in our first central London store.”