The Swedes' interest in shopping secondhand reached a peak in 2015-2016. The years since then we have traded second hand less frequently.
This is shown by the Consumption Report, which is published by the Center for Consumer Science at the Gothenburg School of Business.
Prices were raised
- Second hand became trendy and reached a peak in 2015. Perhaps the reduction is due to the fact that trade took the opportunity to raise prices then, says John Magnus Roos, editor of the Consumption Report, published by the Center for Consumer Science at the School of Economics.
The report only measures purchase opportunities, and does not show how much money the Swedes have spent on used goods.
The fact that the industry is experiencing an upswing may be due to higher prices, according to John Magnus Roos.
- It is possible that it has become more profitable business to go on second hand, that margins have become better and trade therefore feels that it is going better.
- It could also be that the Swedes spend more money on second hand, without us buying more used for that reason. More research is needed here.
The environment and the pursuit of the unique is the engine
There are several reasons why customers choose to buy second hand. For a group, it's all about finances - it's simply cheaper.
- But that is no longer the main reason for trading second hand in today's Sweden, says John Magnus Roos.
- Today the second hand trend is justified by the fact that it is more environmentally friendly. The sustainability argument has only become stronger among consumers in recent years. Others are driven by the opportunity to find more unique items than in traditional trade, says Roos.