IKEA shuts stores across Spain, Portugal amid massive power outage chaos
Retailers including grocery chain Lidl and furniture giant IKEA shut stores across Spain and Portugal as a huge power outage caused chaos across swathes of the two countries on Monday.
Businesses were taking the measures "to prevent panic buying and ensure the safety of all," retail industry association EuroCommerce said.
Shops were still trying to work out the scale of the problem and working with local authorities, it added.
Lidl initially shut its 630 shops in Spain, though it had started reopening some after the recovery of power in the Basque region and other areas, a spokesperson said.
IKEA temporarily shut stores and pick-up points across Spain, though it had switched to generators in its larger outlets and was letting customers who were already there stay inside during the crisis, franchisee Ingka Group said.
"We are letting our customers and co-workers stay in our stores in case they have no transportation options," a spokesperson said in a statement. The outage has paralysed traffic and grounded flights.
All IKEA stores in Portugal were also shut.
Spanish clothing retailer Tendam said it closed all its stores in parts of Spain and Portugal that have lost power, and sent all its staff home at its Madrid and Barcelona head offices.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Arabian Post
3 days ago
- Arabian Post
Salam Stockholm!
Matein Khalid My generation were teenagers in the late 1970's and thus passionate fans of Sweden since Abba dominated the Top of the Pops (God, how I hated the ghastly Dancing Queen since every girl in high school thought this syrupy pop tune was written specifically for her!) and Björn Borg dominated Centre Court at Wimbledon as the Men's Champion until the trophy was wrested from him in 1981 in a five set marathon by the awful but brilliant American John McEnroe. As I grew older, I learnt to love Sweden's amazing social tolerance and cosmopolitan culture, its democratic values, welfare state, its beautiful lakes, ancient cities and effervescent young women whom I met in my fave Hellenic beach resorts like Ayia Napa in Cyprus and Mykonos in the Greek Aegean. However, in 2025, I have a special reason to love Sweden and it is definitely not the ugly furniture of Ikea my Gen-Z twins adore. The Swedish kroner has been the best anti-dollar FX hedge of 2025 and is up an incredible 17% in the last 6-months. As I expect the Trump Buckeroo to fall 20% before the Big Guy leaves the White house, I hope my Swedish kroner stash rises another 20% and offsets the already exorbitant cost of a Scandi holiday. Since I prefer the Med to the Baltics at any time of the year, why not revert back to the 1980's watering holes in the Cyclades and meet nice Swedish people in the Scandinavian love shack rather than actually flying to Stockholm Gothenburg or Malmö. ADVERTISEMENT Sweden is also one of the world's most successful case studies in innovation and entrepreneurial capitalism, the reason Nasdaq's Old World hub is in Stockholm. This $900 billion economy is one of my favourite countries to invest for the next 5-years as long as Putin does not invade Estonia and try to usurp King Charles XII's role as the supreme war lord of the North with a blockade of the Baltics. After all, Putin is from St. Petersburg, a port founded by Tsar Pyotr Alexievich to fight the Swedish empire, the superpower of the North in the first decade of the 18th century. This IT/green tech/export colossus is a goldmine for investors who love corruption free economies dedicated to innovation and talent, a natural for any refugee from Planet Dollar like moi! Also published on Medium. Notice an issue? Arabian Post strives to deliver the most accurate and reliable information to its readers. If you believe you have identified an error or inconsistency in this article, please don't hesitate to contact our editorial team at editor[at]thearabianpost[dot]com. We are committed to promptly addressing any concerns and ensuring the highest level of journalistic integrity.
TECHx
4 days ago
- TECHx
LG Launches ‘Radio Optimism' to Strengthen Connections
Home » Emerging technologies » Lifestyle tech » LG Launches 'Radio Optimism' to Strengthen Connections LG Electronics (LG) has announced the launch of a new brand campaign titled 'Radio Optimism.' The initiative is designed to strengthen meaningful human connections and spread positivity through music. The campaign aligns with LG's brand promise, 'Life's Good.' It addresses the growing difficulty of forming genuine relationships in a technology-driven world. LG revealed that the campaign aims to counter the disconnection often caused by superficial interactions on social media. Kim Hyo-eun, head of LG's Brand Management Division, said the company remains committed to bringing optimism into people's daily lives. The campaign builds on previous efforts like last year's 'Optimism your feed,' which used social algorithms to promote positivity. • The new initiative lets users create and send personalized AI-generated songs. • It also features album art generated by AI, providing a unique and engaging experience. LG reported that the campaign uses AI tools trained on curated music datasets. These tools interpret user prompts to create original songs that users can share with others, encouraging deeper emotional connections. A global study commissioned by LG revealed that 68% of people find it harder to make real friends. Nearly one-third reported having one or fewer meaningful connections in the past month, and 8% said they had none. Jean M. Twenge, Psychology Professor at San Diego State University, commented that people are spending more time online but often feel socially isolated. She added that building deeper relationships is key to reversing the decline in happiness seen over the last decade. According to LG's study, nearly 9 in 10 respondents believe meaningful connections lead to a more optimistic life. The Radio Optimism campaign aims to provide a platform where people can express their feelings and build stronger bonds. The campaign website is currently available in English and Spanish. LG plans to add more languages in the coming months to encourage broader global participation.
Tourism Breaking News
4 days ago
- Tourism Breaking News
Etihad Airways and Air Europa celebrate inaugural flight milestone, enhanced partnership strengthens connectivity between the UAE and Spain
Post Views: 33 Etihad Airways and Air Europa celebrated a historic milestone as Air Europa operates its inaugural wet-lease flight from Abu Dhabi to Madrid, marking the Spanish carrier's first-ever aircraft operation from the Middle East. Etihad now offers twice-daily services to Madrid, with the afternoon EY103 service operated by Air Europa's Boeing 787-9 aircraft featuring 32 Business class and 307 Economy seats. The wet-lease arrangement, alongside the expanded codeshare, strengthens the growing market between Abu Dhabi and Spain, and supports wider tourism and trade links between the two countries. The landmark Boeing 787-9 service represents a significant evolution of the partnership between the two airlines, building on their expanded codeshare agreement and frequent flyer programme cooperation. This collaboration highlights the value of strategic partnerships in improving global connectivity and offering more seamless travel options for passengers across four continents. Antonoaldo Neves, Chief Executive Officer of Etihad Airways, said: 'Today marks a new chapter in our partnership with Air Europa. This collaboration demonstrates how Etihad can work with strategic partners to enhance our Madrid route and offer even greater choice for travellers between the UAE and Spain. By partnering with Air Europa, we're opening exciting possibilities for our passengers seeking to explore new destinations.' Juan José Hidalgo, Air Europa's President, added: ''Partnering with Etihad Airways to launch our first Middle East service from Abu Dhabi is a major milestone for Air Europa. It allows us to better serve growing demand for travel between Spain and the UAE. Abu Dhabi is a world-class destination and an ideal platform for us to expand into new markets.' The partnership reinforces Etihad's commitment to supporting Abu Dhabi's position as an attractive destination for both leisure and business travel, while also strengthening links with key European markets such as Spain. Together, Etihad and Air Europa offer passengers convenient travel options to more than 130 destinations across their combined networks. The wet-lease operation establishes a strong foundation for more strategic initiatives between Etihad and Air Europa in the future, including opportunities for deeper commercial activities and expanded bilateral cooperation. Both airlines remain committed to exploring additional collaborative opportunities that will benefit passengers through enhanced travel options, improved connectivity, and seamless service delivery.
