Almost half of people believe that buying second-hand items is important to help the environment
Shoppers in Scotland are shifting their buying habits towards purchasing more second-hand goods.
Revolve, Scotland’s re-use quality standard scheme, has revealed that shoppers are buying more used items as they seek out value and look to save the planet.
A recent survey commissioned by Zero Waste Scotland, the organisation behind the Revolve standard, showed that almost half of Scots (48%) already agree shopping second hand is important to save the environment, whilst 73% reference price as the top benefit to shopping second hand.
In the same survey, nearly half of Scots (45%) said if they can be assured of the quality, safety and cleanliness of goods, they are more likely to shop second hand.
With many consumers seeking more sustainable lifestyles, Zero Waste Scotland is urging shoppers to look for the Revolve logo as a store’s guarantee of quality.
Revolve is the national certification scheme for second hand stores in Scotland which guarantees its customers high quality products, conforming to safety standards, as well as offering good value for money and excellent customer service. The scheme applies a rigorous quality assurance process to approved stores ensuring highest product quality and safety.
Tills are ringing in Revolve certified stores with most recent data showing annual sales across the network of £33.4m, with average sales income across a sample of the longest certified stores doubling in four years. Currently, there are over 120 Revolve certified nationwide offering a wide range of pre-loved items from clothes and furniture to white goods and bikes.
Iain Gulland, chief executive of Zero Waste Scotland, said: “"Second hand doesn’t have to mean second best, Revolve certified stores offer quality ¬pre-loved pieces where customers can be confident that they are buying quality goods from a trusted source.
“It’s great to see perceptions of second hand are being viewed more positively, however there’s still a way to go in reassuring shoppers on the quality, reliability and professionalism when shopping second hand verses buying new.
"We encourage shoppers to think second hand first and look for the Revolve logo for reassurance they’re going to save money and find great quality items in store.”
Whilst 32% of Scottish shoppers have bought second-hand clothing, or furniture, it tends to be smaller items such as CDs, DVDs and vinyl proving most popular (39%) and only 15% of Scottish shoppers have never considered purchasing an item second hand before purchasing new.
