IKEA has become the latest company to temporarily close all stores and factories in Russia since the country invaded Ukraine.
Joining what is a fast-growing collection of Western companies, notably including M&S, Volkswagen Group, Expedia, Diageo, H&M, and even Manchester-based fashion retailer Boohoo, Swedish furniture giant IKEA has confirmed that it has halted all operations at its 17 outlets across Russia, which is said to affect 15,000 workers.
Production at three IKEA manufacturing sites in Russia will also be paused, and all imports and exports in and out of the country, as well as for its ally Belarus, will be halted.
The retailer has however opted to keep its ‘Mega’ shopping centres open to allow access to essential retailers.
This announcement was said to have prompted a rush of shoppers at the stores due to close.
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As reported by The Guardian, brand owner Inter Ikea and store owner Ingka Group both said they had “secured employment and income stability” for the workers directly impacted by the decision to halt operations, including its 416 co-workers in Ukraine, where its one store and online operations have been suspended since the start of the invasion on 24 February.
IKEA has had a presence in Russia since 2000, and is understood to be one of its largest western employers across the country.
The war in Ukraine has both a huge human impact and is resulting in serious disruptions to supply chain and trading conditions, which is why the company groups have decided to temporarily pause IKEA operations in Russia. Read our statement here: https://t.co/0ss6WrAHIMpic.twitter.com/ixJyyAifFX
Speaking on the decision to temporarily close stores and factories in Russia, a spokesperson for IKEA said: “The war has a huge human impact already and it is also resulting in serious disruptions to supply chain and trading conditions, [so] for all of these reasons, the company groups have decided to temporarily pause Ikea operations in Russia.”
As mentioned, IKEA is one of the latest retailers to suspend operations in Russia, and joins a number of high-profile companies that have already taken similar steps.
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M&S said it has suspended shipments to its Turkish franchisee’s business in Russia – which has 48 stores and 1,200 employees – with the retailer explaining: “We are building on our existing support for Unicef’s UK’s Ukraine appeal with a £1.5m package to support the UN Refugee Agency and Unicef to help children and families in need.”
It also said it was sending £500,000 worth of coats and thermals to Ukraine, where it ceased operations at 10 stores a week ago.
Car manufacturer Volkswagen Group announced it had stopped production of vehicles in Russia until further notice, as has Ford, Jaguar Land Rover, and Renault, while drinks company Diageo – which most-notably makes Smirnoff vodka – said it had paused exports to Russia and Ukraine, and online booking firm Expedia became one of the first travel companies to stop selling travel in and out of Russia.
A fast-growing collection of Western companies have halted operations in Russia to stand with Ukraine / Credit: Yehor Milohrodskyi (via Unsplash)
Additionally, earlier in the week, a significant number of fashion brands made the decision to place various sanctions on Russia.
On Wednesday, the British online retailers Boohoo and ASOS announced they had suspended sales in the country, as did the Swedish clothing giant H&M, Spanish fashion retailer Mango, and sportswear giant Nike, while Adidas has made the decision to suspend its partnership with the Russian Football Union.
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Tech giant Apple is pausing sales, and Meta said it had stopped recommending content from Russian state media to all users of Facebook, with Instagram set to follow.
The Walt Disney Company, Sony, and Warner Bros are pausing their release of films in Russia, and Netflix also announced it has no plans to distribute news, sport, and entertainment channels from Russian state media.
Featured Image – Wikimedia Commons
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Primark is opening its first dedicated Home store in Manchester this summer
Emily Sergeant
Greater Manchester has won big, as our region has been chosen as the first place to get a dedicated Primark Home store.
Following the opening of its debut Home location in Belfast earlier this year, Primark has now announced that the home of its first ever Great Britain site will be here in Greater Manchester – arriving at the popular Trafford Palazzo this summer.
The 11,900 sq ft, two-floor store will bring together the very best of Primark’s interiors offering, all under one roof.
Manchester shoppers can discover an expanded range of homeware and lifestyle essentials to give their home the glow-up it deserves, including high-quality essentials like cotton bedding and towels, soft furnishings, small furniture, and quirky ceramics.
The new store will feature Primark’s recently-launched ‘Edit’ – an elevated collection of home products such as chic tableware, plush towels, and luxury home fragrances.
It will also include a dedicated Travel Shop to help customers get holiday-ready all year round, with a range of stylish and practical travel essentials.
Primark is opening its first dedicated Home store in Manchester this summer / Credit: Primark Corporate
The addition of the new Primark Home at Trafford Palazzo doesn’t mean that any of the other Primark shops across Greater Manchester will be going anywhere though, so shoppers can still continue to get their Primark fix at the main Trafford Palazzo store, as well as on Market Street in Manchester city centre, and right through to the boroughs in places like Bolton, Oldham, Bury, and Wigan.
“The opening of Primark Home at Trafford Palazzo is an incredibly exciting moment for us,” commented Mark Whittaker, who is the Managing Director at Peel Retail and Leisure.
The store will bring together the very best of Primark’s interiors offering, all under one roof / Credit: Primark Corporate
“Not only because we are the first destination in Great Britain to do so, but the opening is going to be adding a leading concept to our already unique mixture of immersive shopping and leisure experiences.
“Primark Home will have something for everyone, and we look forward to the store opening in summer.”
No official opening date for the Primark Home store at Trafford Palazzo has been confirmed as of yet, so keep your eyes peeled.
Featured Image – Primark Corporate
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A rare ‘Strawberry Moon’ will appear in the sky for the final time tonight – here’s when to catch it
Danny Jones
In the latest astronomical phenomenon to hit Britain and beyond in recent times, a rare ‘Strawberry Moon’ is set to appear once again in UK skies tonight, and you don’t want to miss it.
Put it this way: if you didn’t catch it last night, you won’t get another chance for nearly two decades.
The event only happens approximately every 18.6 years and will be the lowest it’s appeared above our part of the world that its been since 2006.
But for those who’ve never even heard of this, you might be wondering what exactly a Strawberry Moon is. We’re no experts, but this should just about fill you in.
Strawberry Moon 2025 – explained
Look up tonight for something sweet!
The full Strawberry Moon, named by the Algonquin tribes for the time of year that berries ripen, will take to the night skies on June 10-11. pic.twitter.com/GKr41bGUUV
Put in simplest terms, a Strawberry Moon occurs when the Moon reaches the extremes of its northernmost and southernmost rising and setting points on the horizon, creating a striking standstill impression to the human eye.
The name itself derives from native American culture and, in the case of June’s full Moon, it is dubbed as such not only because of its reddish hue but because it aligns with the start of summer and the beginning of strawberry harvest season.
Colliding with the summer solstice – with said standstill sometimes referred to as a ‘lunicstice’ – the moon will give more of an orange glow rather than pink or red like actual strawberries, but it’s nevertheless a stunning sight. It was already clocked across various parts of the globe since Monday:
— Veronica in the Fens 🧚🏼♀️ My Heart in Nature (@VeronicaJoPo) June 10, 2025
Why so low, moon-face?
As for why it’s going to loom so low over our skies this evening, UK archaeologist and historian Jennifer Wexler explained to BBC’s Sky At Night Magazine: “Over several years, the limits of moonrise and moonset themselves gradually change, until they reach the point where the northernmost and southernmost moonrise and moonset positions are at their maximum distance apart on the horizon…
“Once a major standstill is reached, the distance between northernmost and southernmost moonrise and moonset can be exceptionally far apart, and it stays that way for around two years.”
With all that in mind, this particular full Moon (10-11 June, 2025) will be the lowest full Moon in the sky for nearly two whole decades and won’t occur again until 2043, hence why so many have taken an interest in trying to catch it.
Speaking of…
When and where is best to see the Strawberry Moon in the UK?
Now, we won’t lie to you, Greater Manchester isn’t necessarily the best-placed area to see the upcoming Strawberry Moon in its full glory this Wednesday; the weather forecast has it that the skies are clearest right up at the top of England, as well as south-west Scotland.
However, provided there isn’t too much cloud coverage, it should still be visible across most regions, including the North West.
The moon is expected to rise around 9:30pm tonight, with the best window to see it appearing within the next hour or so following this period. It may not be as bright and bold as it appeared in some parts of the country on Tuesday, but it’ll still be something to behold.
In terms of what else meteorologists have said about the rest of this week, the weather is looking a bit all over the place, we’re afraid.
Emily Sergeant -
4th March 2022 
