The topic of sustainability is becoming more and more relevant for consumers and influences the consumer decisions of almost 60 percent of people.
This is the result of the Consumer Monitor Sustainability 2023, which the German Retail Association (HDE) published on Wednesday. At 51 percent, more than half of the consumers surveyed now buy used goods – the second-hand market is growing.
The sales volume in this market segment totals almost 15 billion euros, which corresponds to a retail sales volume of two percent.
“Fashion & Accessories” is the most popular category for second-hand purchases. 65 percent of those surveyed stated that they preferred to buy used clothing. Games and toys are in second place, followed by electronic products. At 68 percent, the majority of consumers use platforms such as to buy used clothing Ebay Classifieds or Vinted. Around a third use stationary second-hand shops and almost 20 percent buy on online shops such as the platform that has since been discontinued Zalando Circlerebel or Vestiaire Collective a.
And the second-hand market will continue to grow: The HDE expects growth of eight percent for 2023. The fact that more consumers are buying used goods is partly due to financial reasons. 77 percent of those surveyed stated the cheaper price as their motivation for buying second-hand. “Environmental impact and sustainability” was cited as a motivation by 43 percent.
“The trend towards second-hand is strongly influenced by the young target group – this not only serves the desire for sustainability and sometimes cost awareness, but also for individuality. Older people are often ‘carried away’ by their children and also gain access through digital solutions in the second-hand sector,” says the industry association’s report.
The retail research institute IFH Cologne surveyed 1,500 consumers in Germany for the HDE’s sustainability consumer monitor. The data was supplemented by a joint survey by Swedish second-hand retailer Sellpy and market research institute Appinio, which surveyed a further 1,000 consumers.