A booming second hand market. But are we still consuming too much?

Whilst we have seen greater awareness of the impacts of fast fashion, leading to more conscious consumption, the impacts of fast homeware are lesser known.

From charity shops to second hand marketplaces, as a nation we love bargains and are increasingly seeing a shift to thrift. However, we are still trapped in a cycle of buy buy buy and have a throw away culture. But the second hand market is booming, so why are we still buying new?

Last year we started a Consumption Rebellion as the UK planned to spend an average of £1,108 on new homeware items, but 53% of us don’t realise the negative impact these fast homeware purchases have on the environment.*

The Committee on Climate Change says that the average UK household needs to reduce its carbon footprint by 3.6 tonnes by 2030 in order to keep the country on track to meet its goals. Our recent research shows if every person swapped their homeware purchases from new to second hand for the next three months alone we’d save an estimated 10.9kgs of carbon. That’s enough carbon for hot showers for six months!

Further a recent survey conducted by the British Heart Foundation revealed that 62 per cent of the UK have thrown away homeware in good enough condition to donate to charity.** These are items that not only can be passed on and re-used but can make people a little extra cash! Gumtree data shows households can earn up to £570*** selling their large household items, with most in-demand large items being sofas, fridge freezers, beds, washing machines, wardrobes, tables, and chairs.

What can we do?

It’s quite simple. We need to take second hand seriously and think second hand first, whether that’s finding to save on both £ + 🌎 or listing a preloved item to reduce waste.

So this September, we want to shine a light on the impacts of fast homewares, and because the impacts are lesser known than fashion, we want to encourage users to think second hand first. What’s more…we’re incentivising all those that shop and list this September with our Second Hand Saves competition.

We have a fast homeware problem
Homeware staples

Think second hand for some homeware staples

The average cost of purchasing 10 key homeware items new – from cushions to mirrors – is a whopping £486, compared to just £169 if a person bought the same items second-hand on Gumtree.*** But more surprisingly, buying just one new cushion for your home creates the equivalent carbon emissions as heating your house for almost a year!

Items Average price on Gumtree*** High Street cost newCO2e produced when item bought new
Cushions £16£4080kg
Artwork & Photos £16£2015kg
Candles £10£2015kg
Ornaments £12£4130kg
Throws & Blankets £15£3550kg
Rugs £34£150212kg
Bed Linen£10£4057kg
Plants £13£3043kg
Lamps£20£5099kg
Mirrors £23£6044kg
Total £169£486645kg
*** Internal Gumtree data, July 2023-July 2024

AW 2024 homeware trends – doesn’t have to mean ‘NEW’

Create those cosy autumn trends by shopping second hand 💚
Chrome
Retro
Checks & stripes
Scalloped edges
Coloured glass

Make some extra money this autumn by selling your preloved homewares Sell homewares on Gumtree

First time parents? Save big and go second hand!

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September is officially the busiest month for newborns and whether it’s your first baby, second or third, welcoming a baby can sometimes put financial pressure on parents with an endless list of those ‘must have’ items.

The NHS have an essential list of What to buy your newborn and by thinking second hand for some of those items you could save £854 compared to if you bought new from the high street.

Items Average price on Gumtree*** High Street cost new
Cot / Mosses baskets £45£187
Pushchair£77£150
Car Seats£27£135
Changing Tables£31£219
Baby Bath£10£24
Baby Monitors£24£144
Breast Pump£38£130
Baby clothes£9£19
Sterilisers £16£102
Bottles£10£30
Total £286.69£1,140
*** Internal Gumtree data, July 2023-July 2024

How you could help – Hand me downs are a great way to help those you know welcoming a new baby – just ask first before you pop round with bags full of items. You could even make money from selling your preloved baby items on Gumtree by listing them at a reduced price.

Sell baby items on Gumtree

Student shoppers? Snap up second hand finds

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September sees the start of a new school year and the beginning of university for new students. Whether you’re moving into student accommodation or a shared house, getting the basics can still add up. By shopping second hand you could save up to £852 to spend on something else. If your place is unfurnished? You could save up to £1,800 on those bigger items.

Items Average price on Gumtree*** High Street cost new
Tableware £10£56
Kettle£12£58
Cookware £10£66
Coat hangers £5£8
Bed Linen£10£40
Curtains £18£90
Bedside table £30£150
Coffee table £34£200
Extension Lead £8£14
Chest of drawers£43£350
Total £180£1,032
*** Internal Gumtree data, July 2023-July 2024

Unfurnished? Need some bigger items?

Items Average price on Gumtree*** High Street cost new
Sofas £202£1000
Wardrobes £82£690
Beds £91£629
Total £475£2,319
*** Internal Gumtree data, July 2023-July 2024

Make some extra money by selling on Gumtree today! Sell on Gumtree 

Join our Consumption Rebellion and you could win cash prizes!

Not only are you saving big (£ + 🌎) this September by thinking second hand first, you can also be in with a chance of winning a cash prize of £500. It couldn’t be simpler to enter –  hunt down one of our five Second hand September Good Find ads. Reply to at least one of the ads and you’ll be in with a chance of winning a £500 cash prize. Watch out for the lucky winner announced in October on our social channels.

*HINT* start your search in these categories: prams & strollers, sofas, Lamps, plants and cushions. Or maybe just start here and enjoy exploring all Gumtree has to offer.

How to enter

  1. Browse Gumtree.com to find our five Good Find ads.
  2. Reply once to one or all five of our Good Find ads to enter. Replying to one ad counts as one entry, replying to all five ads counts as five separate entries.

We’ll choose one winner from all valid entries. So what’s stopping you from entering?
Look out for an ad with an eye-catching picture. (Subtle tip, it looks a lot like the pictures below.) Full terms and conditions apply – find them here.

Second hand September Good Find ads that are to be found on Gumtree for your chance to win
Second hand September Good Find ads

Sources

* Research conducted by Censuswide in the UK between March 29th – 31st 2023 and of 2,000 nationally representative consumers aged 16+. Censuswide abides by and employs members of the Market Research Society which is based on the ESOMAR principles

** British Heart Foundation survey ‘62 per cent of the nation throwing away homeware items in good enough condition to donate to charity’ – May 2024

*** Internal Gumtree data, August 2022-August 2023