IKEA has just launched another second-hand marketplace. But will it stop producing ‘fast furniture’?

IKEA has introduced a second-hand marketplace in the UK, enabling customers to buy and sell pre-loved furniture. This initiative, already present in Sweden and Spain, complements the company's existing Buyback & Resell service launched in 2021. The new marketplace offers customers the option of receiving cash or a 15% top-up on an IKEA digital refund card upon selling their items.

Customers can list their IKEA furniture on the marketplace, eliminating the need for mattresses, appliances, and food. The platform provides recommended pricing, professional product photography, and accurate measurements to facilitate smooth transactions. The idea behind the marketplace stems from a 2024 survey showing that more than a quarter of UK adults would be more inclined to buy pre-owned furniture if it had a personal story or history.

Greg Lucas, IKEA UK & Ireland's sustainability manager, noted that the furniture-furnishing landscape has evolved, with customers opting for second-hand pieces in line with their moving, redecorating, or personal preferences. The marketplace aims to reduce costs for consumers during the ongoing cost-of-living crisis, with average prices on the platform being 60% lower than comparable new products.

While second-hand furniture benefits the environment by keeping items out of landfills and cutting manufacturing emissions, critics argue that IKEA, often labeled as a 'fast furniture' brand, continues to contribute significantly to deforestation and forest degradation. The company plans to halve its absolute greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and only use renewable and recycled materials by the same year.