When the Movement Control Order (MCO) was announced in Malaysia, many people rushed to the supermarkets and grocery stores to stock up on food and other necessities. 

When Singapore recently announced a month-long partial lockdown, guess where most of them flocked to?

To Ikea! (We know, we're also slightly confused as to why)

Malay Mail reported that people in the island republic were sharing photos of long queues at Ikea on their social media pages over the weekend.

 

this was the scene outside Ikea SG today. what could the emergency be? meatballs? it’s not like Ikea sells coffins (which this crowd may well need soon).

100am donki+ntuc were like end of the world.

massive queues outside nespresso and bubble tea shops too. #firstworldproblems pic.twitter.com/4NQ59fFeKs

— Edward C. Yong ن (@infernoxv) April 4, 2020

In some of the photos, some in the crowd can be seen wearing face masks and some with their babies in tow.

The huge crowd has forced Ikea to release a statement, pleading for Singaporeans to stop lining up outside of their outlets the very next day.

Theories surface online

Many were baffled at the need to rush to Ikea with some coming up with their own theories.

One Twitter user said that the crowd could consist of many young couples who had procrastinated with furnishing their new house and were scrambling to make it cosy in time for the shutdown.

Another said that people may have been rushing to get their hands on desks in preparation for working from home.

Whatever the reason, Ikea was so overwhelmed with the crowd that they actually made an announcement telling Singaporeans to refrain from visiting them during peak hours on Sunday to main social distance measures.

 
Do you have an inkling of why Ikea of all places?

If you do, reach out to us on our social media page and tell us why ;)