While addiction to social networks is the subject of numerous studies today, the dependence on a different kind of online platform also begins to arouse the interest of science: addiction to second-hand fashion platforms.
In Bordeaux, doctoral student Marie Boudi examines the development of problematic behavior in connection with platforms and apps for used clothing, shoes and accessories such as Vinted, Depop and Vestiaire Collective. Her dissertation is based on the theory of Canadian researcher Robert Vallerand. The academic illuminates a main risk for users: inside: the transition from a “harmonious passion” for fashion to a “obsessive passion” in which they lose control of their activities on the platform.
When the passion for fashion becomes obsession
According to a recent study by the Institut Français de la Mode (IFM), the second-hand company Vinted has now achieved the largest sales volume in the fashion sector in France and thus exceeds Amazon and Kiabi, two heavyweights in the industry.
Several factors explain this success. Users: Inside apps such as Vinted visit this type of platform for economic, ecological or fashionable reasons and for love for second-hand clothing. Boudi focuses on this last point, the passion for fashion. In the course of her conversations with various users: Inside, she observed what she describes as “overflowing” of this passion, which was initially called “harmonious” passion, according to the formula of the theorist Vallerand. The recourse to vintage or second-hand mode apps is then called “obsessive passion”.
“I was constantly in the pick -up stations […] Then I thought I might overdo it a little. “
What is originally a preference for aesthetics, trends or shopping is transformed into a compulsive need for purchase. “I was constantly in the pick -up stations […] Then I thought I might exaggerate it a bit, ”trusted Charlotte, a user of second-hand platforms.
Comments from an article by the magazine Marie Claire from 2024 confirm the presentation of a toxic relationship with second-hand platforms. “I discovered Vinted five years ago. At the beginning I used it normally, but after a while it became an addiction,” Lola-Marie, a student from Brussels, confidante the magazine.
The reason: the immense, almost infinite selection of articles, but also the low prices. According to Boudi, the users tend to think about it: “I have more purchasing power on these second-hand platforms, I can treat myself to a little more. The prices are attractive and the selection is large.”
“The satisfaction and excitement during the purchase process are feelings that these consumers want to experience again and again and that lead to excessive consumption on these platforms,” explains the doctoral student in an interview with fashionunited. These feelings may initially appear positively, but ultimately lead to a circulation of repeated purchases and negative feelings such as guilt and regrets.
The uninhibited purchase
Second-hand fashion today enjoys a positive image in terms of its ecological effects. Since the purchased items of clothing have already been borne, the consequences for the environment are significantly lower than when buying new articles, the production of which is more environmentally harmful in most cases (high water consumption, use of chemicals, greenhouse gas emissions). In addition, second-hand fashion gives millions of clothing a second life and thus prevents them from landing prematurely in the garbage or on landfill; Practices that have been heavily criticized in the media in recent years.
The growing environmental awareness has contributed to the boom of second-hand mode, since the consumers: on the inside are convinced of making a conscious purchase on the corresponding platforms. This feeling is reinforced by the marketing strategies of the respective companies that use this ecological argument.
Among other things, the messages are imparted in the annual reports of companies about their environmental impact. The documents viewed by fashionunited emphasize the ecological advantages of buying a second-hand article compared to the purchase of a new article. “The planet benefits if you choose second-hand luxury,” said the French platform Vestiaire Collective in its Circularity Report of 2024.
If you compare the CO2 footprint of these companies with the large fashion group or fast-fashion brands, the numbers from the former are actually lower. The CO2 footprint vestiaire Collective is, for example, 18,992 tons of CO2 (2023), that of Depop at 20,059 tons of CO2 (2022), during that of the H&M group at 8.5 million tons of CO2 (all brands together), that of Shein at 9.17 million tons of CO2 (2022) and that of a brand like Kiabi at 2.7 million Tons CO2 (2022) is located.
However, while the calculations that compare the environmental impact of the purchase of a new product with those of a second-hand product are clearly presented in reports on the ecological effects, they do not respond to the actual effects of an article on their platform (in particular transport). Knowing that these are less than when buying a new article is sufficient to present it as a “reasonable” purchase.
Vinted made up for the potential problem of excessive consumption. In a report from 2024, the company writes: “The majority (65 percent) of the buyers: Better to buy less, but less, but more expensive and more durable fashion items than large quantities of cheaper articles. Only a small group of members (18 percent) indicates something on Vinted because they browely browse and the article. In France, this group is with twelve percent ‘Spontaneous buyer: inside’ even smaller. “
“Search specifically. Try not to give in spontaneous purchases.”
However, a study by Ademe (Agence de la Transition Écologique) from 2023 contradicts this data. It shows that the vast majority (86 percent) of consumers: inside of used goods (including fashion items) believe that they can buy more items for less money.
In view of several evidence in the report on the ecological effects of Vinted from 2023, the company seems to be aware of the possible risk of excessive consumption on its platform. Here are the comments collected by fashionunited: “Search specifically. Try not to give in spontaneous purchases”; “Quality before quantity. Whether used or new, it is better to invest in fewer but high -quality articles”; “Set a budget so that you can plan your expenses according to your actual needs.”
Constant renewal, infinite offer
Every day, every second, the offer of the second-hand platforms expands. New shoes, clothes or bags are constantly being used by the users: inside who appear as sellers: inside, put online and complement the catalog without interruption. In 2022, Vinted stated that more than 800 million items were offered for sale on his platform during the year.
This constant renewal – as well as the notifications – causes consumers: inside, to visit these apps at any time of the day, and thus increase the purchase opportunities. Especially since Boudi explains to Fashionunited, “gives the knowledge that the article can be resold, the consumer: inside a feeling of security that stimulates it to buy more freely and more uninhibited.”
But excessive consumption is not the only problem. Further dangers harbors to fall into an “obsessive passion” and lose control of his activities on the platform.
The addiction
“I open Vinted as I open a social network,” is one of the sentences that have fallen during the interviews led by the doctoral student. “That means when I sit on the bus, in the subway or in another means of transport and do not know what to do, I open Vinted and scroll to see what’s new on the app,” concludes the academic and adds: “A person said that it was really a simple reflex.”
The terms “addicted”, “dependency”, “reflex”, “excitement” and “satisfaction” were used several times by the people surveyed by Boudi. All of the terms that are also associated with the excessive use of social networks are associated with the dangers of mental health.
Today it is known that networks such as Instagram, TikTok, YouTube or X (formerly Twitter) have a significant impact on the mental well -being of French: inside, as current studies of the Ifop show. In 2025, more than a third of the participants (36 percent) believe that the use of social networks reinforces their feeling of loneliness.
New neuroimaging analyzes show that intensive use of the networks, especially in young people, is associated with functional and structural changes in the brain regions and that these neuronal patterns are similar to those that are observed in addiction, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and mood swings (see “Dopamine-Scrolling: A Modern Public Health Challenge Requiring Urgent Attention ”, by BT Sharpe and RA Spooner).
Fomo (“Fear of Missing Out”) is one of the psychological mechanisms that users: Inside, to often attend social networks. This fear of missing something can also occur with second-hand platforms, where fashion-loving people, like all others, sometimes fear that you miss a rare bargain like a Courrèges brand at a ridiculous price or a new MIU Miu top that is sold much cheaper than in the shop.
A legal framework for protection against addictions based on online platforms?
The authorities today recognize the risks of economic, physical and psychological damage related to the addictive use of digital products and services. Both in France and in Europe, there are regulations on the problem of dependency of users: inside of online content. Unfortunately there are still gaps.
For this reason, the European Commission is currently working on a future draft law on digital fairness (Digital Fairness Act – DFA), which is intended to strengthen the protection of consumers: inside in the digital environment. The regulation should deal in particular with the addiction design of online platforms, but also with the design of misleading or manipulative surfaces and with unfair personalization practices.
In July 2025, the Commission started a public consultation to collect experience reports. It ends in October 2025. The European authority then plans to publish a summary report in the second quarter of 2026, which takes into account the collected feedback and data.
If a new regulation comes into force, second-hand platforms such as Vinted could be forced to revise several parameters of their functioning.
This article was used with digital tools translated.
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