IKEA Reading Marks 10th Anniversary with AI Avatar Welcoming Shoppers to Scan & Pack
Reading, UK, July 2026 - IKEA Reading is celebrating ten years in the city with a three-day showcase, running from 10 to 12 July 2026, introducing a conversational AI avatar in their store. Powered by 1956 Individuals, the conversational AI platform from SKC Studios, the avatar will greet shoppers and introduce them to Scan & Pack, the IKEA app feature that lets customers scan items as they shop and pay in seconds, with IKEA Family rewards applied automatically.
The anniversary showcase has been driven by the IKEA Reading store team, marking ten years serving customers across Berkshire while looking ahead at how the in-store experience continues to evolve.
Positioned at the entrance, the avatar's role is simple: greet every visitor and make sure they leave knowing how to skip the checkout queue next time they shop. Customers who haven't yet tried Scan & Pack will be shown how to activate it in the IKEA app in a few taps - turning a first hello into a faster, easier shop.
Gunay Ertem, IKEA Reading Market Manager, said:
“Ten years in Reading has taught us a great deal about what our customers need and how we can serve them better. This anniversary is a chance to look back at how far we have come and give back to our loyal IKEA Family members with a variety of reasons to shop with us now and in the future. Bringing a conversational AI avatar into the store to help more customers discover Scan & Pack is a fun, practical way to mark the milestone - it speaks to our belief that the best retail experiences keep finding new ways to put the customer first.”
For 1956 Individuals, the deployment is a first step into large-format retail, following avatar projects in heritage and healthcare settings, including AI Queen Eleanor at Leeds Castle and a patient-navigation collaboration with Modality Partnership.
Babita Devi, Co-Founder & Chief Commercial Officer, 1956 Individuals, said:
"IKEA Reading is one of the busiest, most varied retail environments we could ask for, and that makes it a brilliant proving ground. What excites us is the bigger picture: conversational AI becoming a natural, everyday part of how people are welcomed and guided through physical spaces, at a scale few retailers can match. This is just the beginning of what's possible here."
The showcase runs at IKEA Reading from 10 to 12 July 2026.
ENDS
About IKEA Reading
IKEA Reading is part of the IKEA Group, one of the world’s leading home furnishing retailers. Open for ten years, the Reading store serves customers across Berkshire and the surrounding region, offering a wide range of home furnishing products, inspiration, and services. The store is committed to making great design and sustainable living accessible to as many people as possible.
About 1956 Individuals
1956 Individuals is the conversational AI platform built by the team at SKC Studios. It features interactive, multilingual AI avatars designed for real-world environments, across two types of deployment. Asset avatars carry story, context, and interpretation for experiences, attractions, and cultural settings. Utility avatars handle operational tasks such as service navigation, bookings, and first-contact support across healthcare, retail, and high-footfall environments.
Engineered for enterprise impact, the platform enables organisations to turn approved content into live interaction and meaningful action, enhancing engagement while supporting operational efficiency.
Every deployment is governed by transparency and ethical design, providing conversational access to information and consistent outcomes at scale.
Contact: SKC Studios
Babita Devi
Co-Founder & Chief Commercial Officer (CCO)
press@skcstudios.uk
