Second-hand surge – does it help or hinder the high street.

Responsible shopping by making choices that are good for the environment – as well as our bank balance – has never been more popular. Physical stores have been closing in favour of online shopping, but now high streets have the upcycling and recycling markets to contend with too.

Popular platforms such as Vinted, Depop and eBay are dominating the sustainable space, encouraging consumers to buy into not only what looks good, but what makes them feel good too. The rise in its popularity comes from a young generation who are prioritising shopping sustainably rather than following fast-fashion trends. Couple this with the cost of living and you get a sharp increase in second-hand sales.

Consumers, particularly the younger generation, are no longer seeking the thrill of buying into a fad-trend. Vinted reports that millennials are its biggest demographic, making up 44 per cent of the marketplaces’ users, followed by Gen X who comprise 32 per cent.

Pre-loved items are on track to make up a tenth of the global fashion market this year. In March 2024, a report from ThredUp estimated that the global second-hand apparel market will be worth a whopping $350bn by 2028.

But does this new consumer conscience for second-hand sales fulfil the need for being better for the planet? Research from the Waste and Resource Action Programme (WRAP) estimates that each second-hand purchase saves around 1.25 in CO₂e emissions, and in total, pre-loved purchasers have saved around 679 kilotonnes of CO₂ by buying second-hand instead of new in 2023.

The question remains, how can the UK high street respond to the rising trend of pre-loved purchasing.

High streets need two things to survive: a strong vision and a clear strategy. Walk down some streets in city and town centres and these are not always evident. Property teams, placemakers and local authorities responsible for creating and managing these spaces need to determine how to keep people on the streets – and off their screens.

Placemaking plays a pivotal part in supporting a high streets success. Developers need to consider a broad spectrum of factors, such as affordable rent and potentially form new collaborations with businesses that have a strong pre-loved offer.

When it comes to retail, the savvy retailers have already started to respond. Major brands such as H&M, Zara and Primark are hosting second-hand sections in their own stores. The pre-loved category has gained such mainstream popularity that factors – not only contributing to the high street decline – but allowing consumers to “give back” to the planet, are becoming higher on people’s priorities.

Catering for both conscience and convenience in retail has never been more important. A lot can happen in the next few years, but one thing seems certain, second-hand is here to stay – so keeping ahead of the curve means the high street needs to start getting smarter.