Coronavirus: Ikea opens Swedish food markets for key workers
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Ikea has opened the food markets at its London stores to serve key workers during the coronavirus pandemic.
The Swedish retail giant has opened food halls at its Tottenham and Greenwich sites, which are located close to local hospitals.
The Ikea markets will be open to NHS and emergency service workers as well as the elderly and vulnerable people and their carers. Other members of the public will not be admitted to the stores.
As well as Ikea staples such as meatballs, the store will also stock staple items such as bread, milk, butter and tinned tomatoes.
Ikea said it decided to open the food markets due to their proximity to local hospitals. The Tottenham store is near North Middlesex and Whipps Cross hospitals, while the Greenwich site could serve NHS workers at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital and Nightingale hospital at the Excel Centre.
The Croydon Swedish food market opened last week, and Ikea’s store in Wembley is being used as a coronavirus testing centre for NHS workers.
Mike Hawkins, London market area manager, Ikea UK & Ireland, said: “ “The Covid-19 pandemic continues to impact every one of us – as individuals, colleagues and as an employer. But serving the communities in which we operate has always been at the heart of what we do.
“Re-opening some of our Swedish Food Markets across the capital, with enhanced safety and social distancing measures in place, we hope that we can help to make everyday life just a little bit easier for the most vulnerable in our communities, and for the key workers to whom we owe a debt of gratitude.
“We’re proud to be able to give back in this small way.”