Are the French buying more and more second-hand goods?

By wetretrjyu
20/05/2022
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The coronavirus crisis has affected our health almost as much as our finances. During the months of confinement, many French people found themselves without work and therefore without receiving any money. So get out of unnecessary spending and fast shopping for many homes. To meet consumer needs, they turned to the second-hand market, which, as a result of the crisis, was gaining momentum. According to a survey commissioned in August by Site-annonce.fr, more than 9 out of 10 French now buy second-hand.

A growing market

Going to sales, yard sales, china, or buying clothes from others has become commonplace these days. What is surprising is that after confinement, the percentage of French who have made it a durable solution is 92%. They would even spend several hours foaming the canvas or markets to find the rare pearl. According to the study, the phenomenon has gone on for a long time. And for good reason, you can buy almost everything with a second hand, which is still very convenient. 43% of respondents say they buy a very specific product on an ad hoc basis, while 24% say they regularly target the same category of products. For novices in the field, 69% say they will repeat the experience because they have gained satisfaction. It must also be said that the second hand represents phenomenal savings on the budget of a household since it costs at least two to three times less than new ones. A very attractive price margin if you make the comparison.

What do we buy used?

Clothing, furniture, toys, shoes, leather goods: you can buy everything from second-hand sellers. But for often health or practical reasons, some elements attract more than others. Among the top 5 second-hand purchases are cars (47%), clothing (44%), books (42%), and games and toys (40%). At the top of second-hand sales are furniture (51%), which garner the greatest interest from buyers. Certainly because the old and vintage are unfashionable in decoration, and this furniture comes with a story. But also because buying a second hand bed, desk or dresser can cost hundreds of euros cheaper than buying a new fortune in stores.

An environmental approach

Les Français achètent-ils de plus en plus d’articles d’occasion ?

Second-hand buying is good for the wallet, but it's also good for the environment. Buying new all the time is certainly driving the economy, but it also encourages overproduction, overexploitation of resources and energy, poor working conditions in some parts of the world and pollution. Keep in mind that any object that is reused is one less waste on the planet. Also a garment that you no longer wear may be the new flagship accessory in someone else's closet, your colourless old bedside table can give another person's bedroom a rustic charm. To buy used is therefore also to buy responsibly.