IKEA Finland has launched a pilot program at its Vantaa store that combines two accessibility services. The first option is an assisted shopping option, allowing customers to pre-book a 90-minute guided visit with a trained coworker. The second is app-based navigation support through the NaviLens application, which uses scannable codes placed throughout the store to deliver audio guidance about department locations and product ranges. Both services are offered free of charge and can be used independently or together, giving shoppers the flexibility to choose their level of support.
Catharina Van Den Houwe, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Leader at IKEA Finland, shared: “We want as many people as possible to experience shopping at IKEA as smoothly as possible, based on their own needs. We know that for everyone the store environment is not automatically an easy environment, and that is why we want to develop concrete solutions to support everyday life."
Image Credit: IKEA Finland
What Makes This Trend Stand Out
- Assisted Shopping Services
- Combining pre-booked guided visits with trained staff creates new formats for personalized, dignity-preserving retail experiences for customers with diverse mobility and cognitive needs.
- App-based In-store Navigation
- Audio-rich, code-triggered wayfinding integrated into store layouts enables precise, low-vision and neurodivergent-friendly guidance that reduces reliance on physical signage.
- Inclusive Retail Design
- Stores reconfigured for sensory accessibility and flexible support options foster environments where product discovery is equitable across age, ability, and language differences.
Sectors Adopting This
- Retail Furniture
- Large-format retailers introducing accessibility-first services can reshape customer journeys and capture underserved segments through differentiated in-store experiences.
- Assistive Technology
- Developers of navigation apps and scanning systems can expand into retail wayfinding solutions that integrate audio, visual, and haptic cues for varied user needs.
- Customer Service Training
- Providers of workforce development and inclusion education can create specialized curricula to prepare staff for empathy-driven, assistive retail interactions.
