IKEA Preowned: Bringing the Circular Economy to Poland

The global second-hand homeware market was estimated to be worth US$29.9bn in 2024, according to Global Market Insights.

Although companies like eBay and Gumtree are dominating the second-hand market, IKEA is looking to become a main competitor.

The Swedish retailer has launched an online second-hand market for its own products to help work towards a circular economy.

Sustainability at Ingka Group

Circularity is one of the key business focal points for Ingka Group, which owns and operates the majority of the world’s IKEA stores.

The company has a target to design all products in a way that allows them to be reused, repaired, resold or recycled by 2030.

It is committed to turning its business into a circular economy, starting with its sample of online second-hand marketplaces.

These marketplaces mean that fewer IKEA products will go to landfill and the lifespan of its products will be extended.

This can have a large impact on the company’s Scope 3 emissions, which are produced by its suppliers and consumers, as it will bring a new purpose to products at an end of life stage.

By having an online marketplace, IKEA will have fewer emissions associated with the construction and day-to-day operations of physical stores which further reduces its environmental footprint.

IKEA Preowned marketplace

Ingka Group has launched a second-hand marketplace in Poland which will allow consumers to put their used IKEA products up for sale.

This includes products currently being sold by the company as well as products which are no longer available.

It comes after the company’s three other successful online marketplaces in Spain, Norway and Portugal.

IKEA Preowned – the resale marketplace – allows sellers to list their preowned furniture and homeware by uploading photos and choosing a price.

Details and official photos of the product are then attached to the listing, sourced from IKEA’s product database.

The aim of the service is to rival other online resale platforms like eBay and Gumtree and simplify the buying process by having IKEA products resold through the company itself.

Mercedes Gutiérrez Álvarez, Global Head of IKEA Second-hand Platform, said on LinkedIn: “I’m so proud of the amazing team behind this, and especially grateful to our Polish colleagues for their energy, radical collaboration and spirit in making this launch a reality.

“Every market adds a new layer of learning, creativity and heart to what we’re building together.

“Our marketplace is more than a platform – it’s a movement that puts the power in the hands of the many.

“Here’s to new stories, new beginnings and furniture moving from one home to the next.”

Ingka Group’s presence in Poland

The second-hand marketplace is adding to Ingka Group’s sustainability initiatives in Poland.

It has previously created its first solar park in Poland which helps the company’s commitment to the renewable energy transition.

The solar park is located in Recz and can cover the energy requirements of more than 12,000 Polish households with almost 53,000 solar panels.

Ingka Investments – which is the investment branch of Ingka Group – now operates seven wind farms and one solar park in Poland.

Enerparc, one of Europe’s leading renewable energy project developers, built the solar park in collaboration with Ingka Investments.

The project is supporting Ingka Group’s commitment to use 100% renewable electricity across its retail operations by 2025.

Ewa Teodorczyk, Ingka Investments Country Manager in Poland, says: “The solar park in Recz represents another milestone in our long-term strategy for investing in renewable energy sources and strengthening energy security in Poland.

“By expanding our commitment to include solar technology, we firmly believe that the diversity of renewable energy sources is fundamental to building a more sustainable future.”