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SINGAPORE \u2013 Customers can feel at home in IKEA but they need to head to the dining hall for a bite if hungry, instead of eating in the mock-up showroom area, said the furniture giant.<\/p>\n
Eating in the retailer\u2019s showroom settings \u2013 made to mimic living spaces like bedrooms, kitchens and dining rooms \u2013 can inconvenience other shoppers, IKEA said in a statement on June 23.<\/p>\n
The Swedish furniture retailer \u2013 which has outlets in Alexandra, Tampines and Jurong \u2013 issued a response after photos of a child eating at a dining table in an IKEA showroom made the rounds on social media platforms. It was first published on Facebook group Complaint Singapore on June 21.<\/p>\n
The post has been widely shared and got nearly 500 reactions and more than 380 comments in two days.<\/p>\n
In the photos, the child and a woman are seen seated on display chairs in a showroom, while the boy tucks into some noodles in a take-away Styrofoam container.<\/p>\n
The photos came with a caption that read: \u201cYumyum, who cares if I disturb other shoppers. I told the grandma this is not allowed in Singapore. She replied it\u2019s just a kid, so I took their photos.\u201d<\/p>\n
When contacted, an IKEA spokeswoman said: \u201cWe encourage our customers to feel right at home in our IKEA room settings because they\u2019re designed to inspire everyday life at home in Singapore.\u201d<\/p>\n
However, eating in showroom settings comes with \u201chygiene and food safety considerations and can interrupt the experience for other shoppers\u201d, she added.<\/p>\n
The spokeswoman said: \u201cOur co-workers are on hand to provide guidance and support to customers where needed.\u201d<\/p>\n
IKEA did not confirm where and when the incident happened, but the person who put up the Facebook post wrote in the caption that the photo was taken at IKEA Tampines.<\/p>\n
The IKEA spokeswoman said that if customers are hungry, they should go to IKEA\u2019s dining facilities instead.<\/p>\n
\u201cTo ensure a comfortable and enjoyable shopping experience for everyone, we invite hungry customers to enjoy their meals in our IKEA Swedish Restaurant, where plates, cutlery and a more comfortable setting are ready for families of all sizes,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n
There was no shortage of comments online about the post. Some netizens felt the child should not be blamed because the responsibility of teaching the child falls on the adults looking after him.<\/p>\n
One online comment said the child might not know what is appropriate in public settings but adults can teach and educate children.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t blame the kid, I blame the granny for enabling,\u201d said another netizen.<\/p>\n
Others said photos should not have been taken of the child and grandmother. Instead, IKEA staff could have been alerted.<\/p>\n
\u201cTwo wrongs don\u2019t make a right\u201d, said one netizen. \u201cI agree they are wrong. But you are wrong for taking a photo of a child and putting it online, regardless of their origin.\u201d<\/p>\n
Another netizen compared IKEA outlets to a playground at the weekend. There were also suggestions that the furniture giant hire security services.<\/p>\n
Another person said IKEA is a good place to watch people on their worst behaviour, especially on weekends.<\/p>\n
This includes a lack of civic sense, unruly children, people who lie on the display beds and those who nap on display sofa sets, the person added.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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