After a strong start to the year, February became a bleak month for the second hand market, according to the Brach organization Svensk Handels “Pre Loved indicator”which continuously maps the consumption of used goods through a web survey.
This is a decrease of approximately SEK 742 million compared to February 2024. It is related to a decline in trade overall, Swedish trade says.
Pressed household economy, anxious external situation and mild weather with less needs for new winter clothes are identified as some of the reasons that may have affected the willingness to consumption, according to Sofia Larsen. Swedish trade now wants the government to act for more money for households.
– It’s worrying. If the business cycle is not turning now and if we do not get the purchasing power in Sweden, it unfortunately risks both jobs and companies, says Larsen.
Turnover decreases – but more trade
Despite the reduction in sales, the number of people who traded second hand increased.
– More people want to shop at a low price, but shop for a smaller amount of money, says Sofia Larsen.
On the Block, the economic situation has been noticed by and in the search statistics, interest in self -care stands out.
– There was a very large increase in searches for greenhouses and chickens. Chickens received 15,000 searches in February. Egg prices seem to have engaged the Swedish people, says communications manager Kitty Ehn.
The number of goods that were put up for sale at Tradera increased at the beginning of the year compared to the same period last year, says Sofia Hagelin, press officer on the second hand site.
In all the product categories investigated by Swedish trade: fashion, furniture and home decor as well as books and newspapers, sales have decreased.
However, fashion sales stood for the least case.
The second hand trade is the largest online, and in February sales decreased by just over SEK 400 million.
“Second hand is still trendy”
Fashion journalist Emily Dahl believes that a tougher economy can make the spontaneous shopping of used fashion decrease while the financial reasons remain.
– It is often about parents who buy clothes for their growing children.
She does not see that interest has fallen.
– It is still trendy to keep up with second hand.