16 November 2023 , 10:23
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Ikea has announced it won’t be selling real Christmas trees in its England and Northern Ireland stores this year.
In previous years, shoppers who purchased one of its Christmas trees for £25 would then get a £10 voucher to spend at the Swedish flat pack furniture giant. The trees were all Nordmann Fir and were about 1.70m in height on average.
Ikea shoppers in Scotland will still be able to buy real Christmas trees from November 18, while stocks last. Ikea also added that Christmas trees will be sold in its Cardiff, Bristol, Croydon and Lakeside stores but by an external supplier in the car parks.
An Ikea spokesperson said: "This year, we have made the difficult decision not to sell real Christmas trees from IKEA stores in England and Northern Ireland. Whilst we know the long-standing Christmas tree offer has made them amongst some of the most affordable on the market, we’ve seen a decline in demand over recent years.
"However, spreading some Christmas cheer another way, we’ll launch our first-ever (digital) advent calendar on December 1. Covering all areas of the home, a new offer will be revealed every day throughout December. We’ll share more information on this with you as soon as possible."
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They continued: "In Scotland, locally grown Nordmann Firs will still be available in the Glasgow and Edinburgh stores from November 18 2023, while stocks last. With their purchase, customers will receive £10 off any spend over £60 on their next visit to Ikea Edinburgh, Glasgow, or Aberdeen between January 8 to February 17 2024.
"Please note that in Ikea Cardiff, Bristol, Croydon and Lakeside real Christmas trees will be sold within our carparks however, these will be sold by an external supplier."
Last month, Ikea promised to pass on cost savings to customers by cutting prices over the next year as pressures in its supply chain start to ease. It came as the business announced a 11.9% rise in turnover in the last financial year to £2.5billion. Globally, parent company Ingka Group saw its retail sales increase 5.7% to €41.7billion (£36 billion).
UK and Ireland chief executive Peter Jelkeby said: “Despite economic and geopolitical instabilities, we remain committed to making a positive difference in our customers’ lives; especially for those with the thinnest wallets. Knowing that our customers continue to navigate a cost-of-living crisis, we absorbed significant cost increases to mitigate price rises as much as possible, investing in promotions, special offers, and, for the first time, an Easter sale.
“As we see supply chain costs start to ease, we have a clear commitment to lowering prices accordingly – ensuring we remain firmly on the side of the many people.”