IKEA’s Danish stores could become emergency shelters or temporary hospitals if Denmark faces a major crisis, as the country increasingly involves private businesses in its civil preparedness plans. The proposal, reported by Reuters on 9 October, would allow the furniture retailer to help people affected by power outages, flooding or attacks on critical infrastructure.
The initiative reflects a broader change in how Denmark and other European countries are preparing for emergencies, looking beyond traditional rescue services to the resources already available in shops, warehouses and other businesses.
How IKEA stores could become emergency shelters
At IKEA’s large store in Taastrup, west of Copenhagen, existing facilities could be repurposed to accommodate people during an emergency.
Display beds and furniture stored in flat packs could provide temporary accommodation, while the company’s restaurants could prepare meals. Backup generators could keep essential systems running, and parts of the buildings could potentially serve as temporary medical facilities.
Torben Mortensen, IKEA’s security chief in Denmark, explained the company’s approach to Reuters:
We want to be the good neighbour. We want to be the company that can support society in case of a crisis.
For now, the initiative remains a potential use of IKEA’s facilities rather than an established nationwide shelter programme. The retailer has also clarified that it does not operate a global emergency preparedness programme, with arrangements developed separately in each country.
There are already examples of IKEA stores providing emergency accommodation. During the devastating floods in Valencia, Spain, in October 2024, one of the company’s stores sheltered more than 600 people.
In Denmark, a snowstorm in December 2021 forced six customers and around two dozen employees to spend the night inside an IKEA store in Aalborg, sleeping in the display beds.
Denmark brings hundreds of businesses into crisis preparedness
IKEA participates in the Corporate Coalition for Crisis Preparedness (Virksomhedsberedskabet), a Danish network established to coordinate the resources that private businesses could provide during major emergencies.
The coalition identifies available facilities, equipment, supplies and specialist personnel before a crisis occurs, making it easier for public authorities to request assistance when needed.
Participation is voluntary. According to the coalition’s operating model, companies retain the right to decide whether they can provide the requested resources, while authorities remain responsible for coordinating the emergency response.
The initiative is expanding rapidly. According to figures reported by Danish news agency Ritzau on 11 October, membership has grown from 63 to 223 businesses and organisations in just over ten months. Together, they represent approximately 350,000 employees.
The coalition aims to exceed 1,000 members by 2029 and to develop the capacity to mobilise resources within six hours by 2028.
Other Danish retailers are also developing their own emergency capabilities.
Salling Group, Denmark’s largest supermarket operator, is preparing a network of 51 stores designed to remain operational for at least 48 hours without normal electricity or internet access.
According to the company’s preparedness programme, the first three stores, located in Ribe, Vejle and Rønne, have already received emergency generators and are operating as pilot locations. The company aims to have all 51 stores ready by the end of 2027.
A wider European shift towards preparedness
The Danish initiative comes as European countries strengthen their ability to respond to natural disasters, cyberattacks, infrastructure disruption and security threats.
In March 2025, the European Commission launched its Preparedness Union Strategy, promoting closer cooperation between governments, businesses and civil society.
Among its proposed measures are public-private emergency protocols, improved coordination of essential supplies and guidelines encouraging households to maintain sufficient resources for at least 72 hours during a crisis.
The approach also has parallels elsewhere in the Nordic region. Finland has long relied on cooperation between public authorities and private companies to safeguard essential services, infrastructure and supplies during emergencies.
Security concerns have added urgency to these efforts. Danish intelligence officials have recently warned about suspected Russian sabotage activities, including alleged attempts targeting companies involved in supplying Ukraine. Moscow denies the accusations.
Denmark’s corporate preparedness network has already participated in emergency exercises with public authorities, although it has not yet been tested during a major real-world crisis.
The next challenge will be ensuring that the resources identified across hundreds of businesses can be mobilised effectively when an emergency occurs.
