04/08/2025
Good news!
Second-hand sales are growing.
Accounting for upto 45% of purchases in some categories!
Here at Freegle HQ we love to know that more and more stuff is staying in circulation rather than getting binned (or hoarded!).
Do you like buying second-hand stuff?
It's predicted that this year Brits will spend £4.8 BILLION on second-hand stuff, 11% increase on last year. That's a lot of stuff!
Another great way to ensure the life of things is extended is to GIVE IT AWAY....sometimes it's just not appropriate or worth the effort to 'sell' something.
Freegle makes it super easy to pass on unwanted stuff - helping to prevent waste, save money and to help other people! As long as it's legal it can be freegled.
Go here https://www.ilovefreegle.org/explore and pop your postcode in, to see what is freely available where you live, you'll be amazed at all the useful things you can procure for free.
According to research commissioned by Amazon published last month:
"In 2024, more than 199 million products remained in circulation through sales of used, open-box and refurbished items.
These second-hand goods now represent between 34% and 45% of spending in categories such as electronics, clothing and household appliances.
The study also reports that 27% of online second-hand purchases would not have taken place without the used option, suggesting the market is generating new demand rather than replacing new product sales.
Among consumers, 31% cited cost as the main reason for buying second-hand, 26% pointed to increased product availability and 25% mentioned environmental considerations.
In 2024, 65% of UK consumers bought used goods online. More than half (54%) purchased used clothing while one in five purchased electronics, like smartphones or tablets.
The study found younger consumers are more likely to shop second-hand, with 74% of those aged 34 and under making purchases, compared to 52% of those over 55. It also found that 27% of UK consumers no longer see new products as better than used ones."
Read the full article here via Edie https://www.edie.net/uks-second-hand-retail-market-growing-rapidly-research-reveals
