As Singles Day approaches, Ingka Group is sharing research from its latest Life at Home report which reveals that 18% of survey respondents reside in single-person households.
“In a world that often celebrates romantic relationships, living alone has become a liberating choice for hundreds of millions, and we want to support people living alone to design living spaces that meet their specific needs by understanding what life at home means today.”
– Katie McCrory, Life at Home Communication Leader at Ingka Group
The unique Life at Home research revealed some fascinating statistics about single-person households. Based on the respondents of the research, Finland is leading with 40% in the number of single-person households, and the Philippines is right behind, followed by Denmark, Norway and Sweden. Living alone is a deliberate choice for some, as indicated by the latest Life at Home Report, which found that 13% of those surveyed in the past year consciously chose to live on their own, allowing them to prioritize and focus on their personal needs and desires.
Whether living independently or transitioning from a shared home to a single-person household, Ingka Group recognizes various needs of different living situations by understanding what life at home means today.
Karin, a 64-year-old woman from Germany, stated in the latest Life at Home report, how she transitioned from a family-oriented life to living alone, which impacted her relationship with her living space. “In my past, my home was very functional, I was less concerned with taking care of myself, I didn’t take my home very seriously, I didn’t have any decorations, no plants, no important objects. Today, that has changed because you are calmer and spend more time at home, you no longer have a partner to live up to. Today I am completely different and place a lot of emphasis on emotional values in my home and take care of every detail,” she said.
To cater to customers like Karin, IKEA offers many services, providing delivery and assembly services on its website. This saves, especially single people, the hassle of carrying, transporting, and assembling furniture items themselves, allowing for a more effortless and personalized home setup.
Solo living provides a chance for self-expression and gives individuals an opportunity to design their home exactly how they want to, without the struggle of negotiating colors or size with other members of the households. In both the physical IKEA stores and online, customers can meet furnishing experts who assist in room planning, suggesting suitable furniture layouts and styles. This provides effective visualization of the design ideas and ensures that every choice aligns seamlessly with the customer’s individuality.
“When individuals see their personality echoed in every corner of their homes, the joy of caring for their living spaces becomes a nourishing experience in return,” said McCrory. The IKEA Kreativ app enables customers to visualize furniture placements on their computers or smartphones. The app’s magic eraser function further allows users to start anew in existing spaces, ensuring product choices reflect their home and personality.
Ingka Group’s next Life at Home Report 2023 launches in January. It will provide new insights about life at home and different households. IKEA stands by its commitment to making life better for the many by enabling its customers to shape their living spaces with democratic design, that combines the right form, function, quality and low price together.
About Ingka Group
With IKEA retail operations on 31 markets, Ingka Group is the largest IKEA retailer and represents about 90% of IKEA retail sales. It is a strategic partner to develop and innovate the IKEA business and help define common IKEA strategies. Ingka Group owns and operates IKEA sales channels under franchise agreements with Inter IKEA Systems B.V. It has three business areas: IKEA Retail, Ingka Investments and Ingka Centres. Read more on www.ingka.com.
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