IKEA is to shift its Aberdeen operations from the outskirts of the city to a new base at Union Square, bringing its updated Plan and Order Point format to the busy shopping mall in spring 2026. The announcement follows confirmation that the Swedish retailer intends to close its current order and collection point at Wellington Circle, which opened in 2016 as the first site of its kind in Scotland.
The new Union Square outlet will be a smaller store focused on planning and design services for kitchens, bedrooms and living room storage, rather than a traditional full-size warehouse format. IKEA has said the move is aimed at better meeting the needs of customers in Aberdeen by locating in the heart of the city centre.
Planning-led store concept
Branded as a Plan and Order Point, the Union Square site will offer in-depth, one-to-one consultations with specialist staff to help customers design their “dream spaces”, including tailored layouts and storage solutions. Customers will be able to drop in or book appointments online, with planning services supported by digital tools and access to the full IKEA product range for ordering.
While the new format will not function as a traditional pick-up store with aisles of flat-pack stock, shoppers will still be able to order from across IKEA’s entire range for home delivery or collection at selected locations. The Union Square site will also host an area for collections and returns linked to online orders, alongside a curated selection of around 250 smaller home furnishing accessories available to buy and take home on the day.
Wellington Circle closure
IKEA has confirmed that its existing order and collection point at Wellington Circle, Altens, will close, although it will continue to trade “as usual” until further notice and ahead of the Union Square opening. The Wellington Circle site has served as a hub for click-and-collect and home delivery since May 2016, offering North-east customers access to the IKEA range without the need to travel to the larger stores in Edinburgh or Glasgow.
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The company previously raised concerns locally when it first revealed the Wellington Circle closure, prompting fears shoppers would face longer journeys for large-item purchases. The confirmation of the new Union Square site means IKEA will retain a physical presence in Aberdeen, albeit in a more compact, planning-led format.
“Better meet the needs” of Aberdeen shoppers
Kevin Coventry, market manager at IKEA, said the Plan and Order Point concept is designed to “better meet the needs” of customers in Aberdeen, highlighting free consultations with planning specialists alongside ordering, collection and returns services. He added that the team looks forward to welcoming customers to the new location next year as the retailer strengthens its footprint in the North-east.
Local leaders have also welcomed the news, with Aberdeen South MP Stephen Flynn describing the decision to open in Union Square as a “big boost” for the city centre and predicting strong interest from shoppers when the store launches. IKEA’s move comes as the retailer continues to develop its network of smaller Plan and Order Points across the UK, complementing its larger Scottish stores in Glasgow and Edinburgh and a forthcoming site in Dundee.
