Ikea ‘designed like a maze to trap shoppers’

Ikea stores are designed as mazes that trick shoppers into buying more while they attempt to find the exit, according to a UK professor. Alan Penn from the University College of London came to his conclusions about the popular Swedish furniture empire after mapping out Ikea stores in England.

“It is so well done and so cunningly done that I have little doubt that it is intentional,” Professor Penn told The Times newspaper. He added that the brand’s success is probably partly down to the layout of their stores as customers become confused and are forced to walk through the entire shop before they leave.

Professor Penn also concluded that shoppers who followed the suggested path guided by arrows on the floor quickly lost track of the direction of the exit and became disorientated. “It’s more S&M than M&S,” he said, referring to UK department store Marks & Spencer, during a lecture on his findings this week.

Ikea, however, has denied the claims, commenting that walking through their outlets provides an inspiration for customers. The firm also pointed out that there are short cuts to all departments.

While Penn admitted that the shortcuts do exist, he claims that they are always out of the customer’s field of view. “The way to the exit is always behind you,” he said.