20,000 shoppers expected on IKEA opening day

From Checkpoint, 4:37 pm on 1 December 2025

New Zealand's first ever IKEA is set to open in Auckland's Mount Wellington this week, with 15 to 20 thousand people expected to roll through the doors. Staff say the stores are packed with 7,500 products and there's traffic management to help with the busy crowds. But traffic agencies have warned Aucklanders to expect long delays, and the presence of the store has raised questions about the impacts on smaller nearby businesses. Reporter Bella Craig managed to get a sneak peek.