Major rethink for flat-pack king

Retailer to move away from out-of-town locations

The company not only plans to “claim the city centres” but is also considering selling its products through third party online retailers including Amazon and Alibaba

Flat-pack furniture giant Ikea is planning a radical shake-up of its retail offering in response to the changing shopping habits of consumers and the threat posed by online competitors.

New chief executive Jesper Brodin said the retailer would make a move away from out-of-town locations which relied on customers travelling to the company's outlets and carrying its products home and concentrate on city centres, where there is increasingly less car ownership.

“We are ...