A frustrated IKEA shopper has demanded that the furniture chain introduce adult-only shopping hours, claiming that children are a nuisance and should be banned from stores unless they can be restrained by their parents. The customer shared their experience on social media after a trip to IKEA, where a child pushed a shopping trolley into a table they were trying to return, causing damage. The parent was reportedly on their phone at the time and did not discipline the child.
Customer's Ordeal at IKEA
The shopper recounted the incident while waiting in the returns area: "Your kids do NOT belong in Ikea. I was just at Ikea a few weeks ago and while I was waiting at the returns area, a kid drove a shopping cart into the table I tried to return, denting the wood badly." They added that they had to return a broken item and ask for a refund, which made them seem like the rude customer. The parent apologised but did not tell off their son for his behaviour. The customer felt that IKEA should not have to absorb the cost and that the parent should have paid.
Further Frustrations During the Visit
Later in the same trip, the shopper was looking at lights when a child swung a pendant light, hitting them in the head. "I could have lost an eye," they said. The customer continued: "Kids are just a nuisance to other customers, not to mention store staff who have to clean up their mess politely and not utter a peep. Your kids should not be running and screaming, and throwing food at one another at the Ikea cafeteria either. If you can’t restrain them, then they should stay at home." They concluded by wishing IKEA would declare adult-only store hours, stating, "Enough is enough. This is not a playground."
Mixed Reactions from the Public
The comments section saw a divide, with some disagreeing with the shopper. A former IKEA employee revealed: "I used to work for Ikea, and we actually got trained that they WANT families to treat it as a day out, especially on a rainy day. Go look at furniture, eat meatballs, get lost in the flatpack maze." Another commenter noted that IKEA stores are designed to encourage families to bring children, with toys and slides between departments. A third person agreed with the original poster, saying: "I notice a lot of parents with kids make Ikea like a day out. They barely buy anything and just go to let their kids run wild... Ikea is not a theme park." One suggestion was to visit on weekdays, as weekends tend to be busier with children.
