IKEA To Open First Ever Second-Hand Store In Sweden This Year

IKEA has announced that it is opening its first second-hand concept in Sweden later this year. It comes after the furnishing giant previously said it would begin rental and recycled business models as a part of its sustainability pledge to become fully circular by 2030. 

IKEA will soon be opening its first ever second-hand store selling refurbished furniture in the town of Eskilstuna, located in the greater Stockholm region. The store will allow customers to bring home products that have been collected, repaired and restored and sold for a fraction of its original retail price. It will be located in a shopping centre called ReTuna, which exclusively houses shops that are selling reused, organic or sustainable products and is situated next to a local recycling station.

We can only create a more sustainable world if we do it together with others. Now we’re joining forces with local actors, who share our view on sustainability, to gain knowledge and insight that can make a difference globally.

Jonas Carlehed, Sustainability Manager, IKEA Retail Sweden

“At IKEA we don’t want to merely be a part of the sustainability movement – we want to lead it. If we want to reach our sustainability goals, we have to challenge ourselves and test our ideas. The climate crisis cannot be solved in theory, it has to be solved in practice,” said Jonas Carlehed, retail sustainability manager at IKEA Sweden, in a statement.

Carlehed added that the choice to open the store in ReTuna was one that was carefully considered in order to help the local environmental movement grow momentum. “We can only create a more sustainable world if we do it together with others. Now we’re joining forces with local actors, who share our view on sustainability, to gain knowledge and insight that can make a difference globally,” he said. 

“Working with ReTuna gives us the possibility to better understand why certain IKEA products turn into waste, what condition they are in when discarded, how people reason when deciding to throw away our products, and if there’s an interest in buying the products if we manage to save them,” said the company in a press release.

This initiative is a part of IKEA’s broader vision to become a fully circular business within the next 10 years. It has previously pledged that it will incorporate more renewable and recycled materials, and introduce rental services in order to prolong the lifespan of its furniture products, reduce carbon emissions and slash waste. 

Working with ReTuna gives us the possibility to better understand why certain IKEA products turn into waste, what condition they are in when discarded, how people reason when deciding to throw away our products, and if there’s an interest in buying the products if we manage to save them.

IKEA

Currently, around 71% of the waste across IKEA’s stores that are owned by its parent company Ingka Group are recycled, and globally, around 47 million products were given a new life through refurbishment last year.

Earlier this month, Ingka committed an additional US$712 million in sustainability investments to reach climate positive status throughout its value chain by 2030, further boosting its credentials as a recognised leader in sustainable business, global experts have ranked the brand highly for in a recent report.

On the retail-side, other recent sustainability initiatives include launching a vegan meatball, dubbed the “plant ball”, which has 4% of the carbon footprint compared to its animal-based counterpart, as well as debuting its first “Home of Tomorrow” store concept featuring self-sufficient, low-waste and eco-friendly indoor fittings.

All images courtesy of IKEA.