IKEA Launches Second-hand Marketplace in the UK

• New research reveals 87%[1] of UK adults now shop for second-hand goods, as consumers seek greater value, quality and choice
  
  
• Research also finds UK homes contain an estimated £428[2] worth of unused home and garden furniture
  
  
• The marketplace enables more people to access affordable IKEA products, with prices on average 60%[3] lower than comparable new products. 

IKEA has today (Wednesday 7 October) announced the launch of its second-hand marketplace in the UK, giving people a simple way to buy and sell pre-owned IKEA products. The second-hand marketplace makes it easier for people to pass on IKEA furniture they no longer need, while helping others discover pre-owned products, including those that may no longer be available in stores. 

The new marketplace supports IKEA's vision of creating a better everyday life for the many people by making it easier for customers to access and pass on IKEA products as their needs evolve through different stages of life. 

The launch of the IKEA second-hand marketplace complements on IKEA’s existing in-store Buyback & Resell service, which was introduced in 2021. The service allows customers to sell eligible products back to IKEA in exchange for instore credit. The new marketplace enables peer-to-peer transactions, where sellers can choose to receive payment in cash or opt for an IKEA digital refund card with a 15% bonus. 

Together, Buyback & Resell and the second-hand marketplace give eligible IKEA products two potential routes to a new owner – resale directly to IKEA or to another customer, creating a distinctive proposition in the resale market. 

Emily Birkin, Development & Transformation Manager, Ingka Group (the largest IKEA retailer, operating stores across 32 countries), said: “At IKEA, our vision is to create a better everyday life for the many people, and that means making well-designed, functional home furnishing more accessible at different stages of life and across different budgets. The second-hand marketplace is another way we can help more people access IKEA products at affordable prices, while giving customers a simple way to pass on items they no longer need.”

Responding to changing consumer habits 

The launch comes at a time when second-hand shopping is becoming an increasingly established part of everyday spending, as consumers look for greater value, choice and the opportunity to find distinctive pieces with character and a sense of history. New consumer research commissioned by IKEA found that more than one in four UK adults (28%) said a personal history or story would make pre-owned furniture more desirable to them[4]. 

In 2025, 63%[5] of UK consumers bought products through reselling platforms, up from 51% in 2024[6]. More than half (52%[7]) had sold something online in the previous 12 months, while 60%[8] buy second-hand to stretch their budgets. Furniture is already one of the most popular second-hand categories, with 38%[9] of people who shop for second-hand goods having bought furniture this way. 

This growing appetite for second-hand shopping is reflected in the wider market’s continued expansion. In 2025, UK marketplaces and peer-to-peer platforms generated £34.1 billion in gross merchandise value[10], while the UK’s second-hand home products market is forecast to grow from £4.5 billion in 2022 to £6.1 billion by 2027[11]. 

Designed specifically for IKEA products 

Customers can list current or previously sold IKEA home furnishing products on the marketplace, with the exception of mattresses, appliances and food. (Modified products, recalled products and products that are not from the IKEA brand are excluded.) 

Sellers can scan an eligible item to create a listing, making it easier to pass on IKEA furniture they no longer need. The platform provides recommended pricing, professional product photography and accurate measurements, helping sellers prepare their listings. 

Each listing also includes product descriptions, assembly instructions and care information, giving prospective buyers useful details before they make contact. Sellers can choose to receive their proceeds as cash or receive a 15% top-up on an IKEA digital refund card. 

Greg Lucas, Sustainability Manager, IKEA UK & Ireland, said: “The way people furnish their homes has changed. Whether they are moving, redecorating or looking for a particular piece, more customers are considering pre-owned furniture alongside new and are actively searching for items that can help create a home that feels personal to them. Our research found that more than one in four people[12] said a personal history or story would make pre-owned furniture more desirable to them. IKEA products are designed to be used, maintained and enjoyed over time, and the second-hand marketplace, as well as our instore buyback service, gives people a straightforward way to pass on items as their needs change, with the practical information they need to buy and sell with confidence.” 

Prioritising affordability in a cost-of-living crisis 

The launch of the marketplace marks another step in IKEA's commitment to affordability at a time when many households continue to feel pressure from the cost of living. The marketplace enables more people to access affordable IKEA products, with prices on average 60%[13] lower than comparable new products. 

At the same time, the marketplace could help customers unlock the potential from furniture already sitting unused in UK homes.  Among respondents who provided an estimate, the average value of unused home and garden furniture was £428.15. 

Its launch follows another major investment in affordability. In August, IKEA introduced New Lower Prices and instore-only offers across hundreds of home furnishing products and accessories, with discounts of up to 25%, as part of a EUR 1.2 billion investment across Europe to lower prices. Examples include the space-saving HEMNES daybed – a sofa, single bed, double bed and storage option rolled into one, reduced by 15% from £329 to £279, and the KALLAX shelving unit that has furnished generations of first flats to forever homes available for £49 (down 18% from £60). 

The IKEA second-hand marketplace is available exclusively to IKEA Family members.

Customers can sign up for free: https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/ikea-family/ 

The IKEA second-hand marketplace can be explored at: https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/second-hand/

[1] IKEA consumer research conducted online between 1 and 10 September 2026 among 2,000 UK adults, nationally representative by age, gender and region.

[2] IKEA consumer research conducted online between 1 and 10 September 2026 among 2,000 UK adults, nationally representative by age, gender and region.

[3] Inkga Group internal data

[4] IKEA consumer research conducted online between 1 and 10 September 2026 among 2,000 UK adults, nationally representative by age, gender and region.

[5]Sustainability_Love for Preloved_Voices of Real People_FY26.pptx

[6] Sustainability_Love for Preloved_Voices of Real People_FY26.pptx

[7] Online-retailing-marketplaces-and-peer-to-peer-selling-uk-2026 (1).pdf

[8] Online-retailing-marketplaces-and-peer-to-peer-selling-uk-2026 (1).pdf

[9] IKEA consumer research conducted online between 1 and 10 September 2026 among 2,000 UK adults, nationally representative by age, gender and region.

[10] Online-retailing-marketplaces-and-peer-to-peer-selling-uk-2026 (1).pdf

[11]  IKEA Second-hand home products market research report_Nov24.pdf (p. 10)

[12] IKEA consumer research conducted online between 1 and 10 September 2026 among 2,000 UK adults, nationally representative by age, gender and region.

[13] Ingka Group internal data

Source : IKEA

Image : IKEA

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