{"id":58072,"date":"2019-02-04T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2019-02-03T22:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/richardvanhooijdonk.com\/blog\/ikea-is-a-shining-example-of-the-circular-economy-and-sustainability-mega-trend\/"},"modified":"2026-10-16T21:54:27","modified_gmt":"2026-10-16T19:54:27","slug":"ikea-is-a-shining-example-of-the-circular-economy-and-sustainability-mega-trend","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.richardvanhooijdonk.com\/en\/ikea-is-a-shining-example-of-the-circular-economy-and-sustainability-mega-trend\/","title":{"rendered":"IKEA is a shining example of the circular economy and sustainability mega-trend"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>IKEA shows how a retailer can make the circular economy pay: it buys back used furniture, resells it and designs products to be repaired, reused or recycled. The idea scaled fast. In financial year 2025, IKEA retailer Ingka Group <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ingka.com\/newsroom\/ingka-group-scales-buyback-by-39-achieves-60-zero-emission-home-deliveries-and-95-renewable-electricity-sourcing\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">sourced almost 686,500 used products<\/a> through Buyback, up 39%.<\/p>\n<p><em>Updated 6 October 2026: dates clarified (the events described took place in 2018), broken links replaced and a 2026 update on IKEA\u2019s buy-back results added.<\/em><\/p>\n<ul class=\"bold-list\">\n<li>IKEA\u2019s furniture take-back initiative is part of the emerging recommerce trend<\/li>\n<li>It\u2019s been awarded for incorporating circular principles<\/li>\n<li>Will recommerce overtake traditional e-commerce?<\/li>\n<li>New business models - from linear to circular<\/li>\n<li>This represents an absolute systemic challenge<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>With increasing global awareness about climate issues and the <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.richardvanhooijdonk.com\/en\/companies-can-benefit-from-supporting-sustainability-initiatives-and-profit-from-the-war-on-plastics\/\">sustainability<\/a> mega-trend, more and more large companies are taking a stand and setting examples. Take the Swedish furniture giant IKEA, for instance. It\u2019s been making great strides since the launch of its \u2018<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ikea.com\/global\/en\/newsroom\/sustainability\/ikea-takes-sustainable-living-to-a-new-level-with-new-commitments-to-become-people-and-planet-positive-by-2030-180607\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">People &amp; Planet Positive<\/a>\u2019 strategy in 2012, which it updated in June 2018 with commitments for 2030. At that time, it committed to removing single-use plastics, offering more plant-based food options and moving towards zero-emission home deliveries. The firm has bought wind farms in Poland, forests in the Baltics and Romania, and has also invested in the Dutch plastics recycling plant Morssinkhof Rymoplast.<\/p>\n<p>As Pia Heidenmark Cook, the chief sustainability officer at IKEA, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/sustainable-business\/2017\/may\/15\/ikea-peak-stuff-plastics-recycling-renewables\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">tells<\/a> <em>the Guardian<\/em>, \u201cIt is our first investment with the recycling industry [\u2026] so at this point, it\u2019s really a learning experience to understand more about what is needed for getting high quality plastic that can be fed into our products \u2026 Our approach to the circular economy is however not to buy up recycling companies. It\u2019s one element to learn more and better understand upcycling, but it\u2019s not the prime strategy,\u201d adding that \u201cThe <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.richardvanhooijdonk.com\/en\/the-circular-economy-at-its-best-turning-pet-waste-into-food-safe-packaging\/\">circular economy<\/a> is integral to expanding without using further raw virgin materials.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>IKEA\u2019s furniture take-back initiative is part of the emerging recommerce trend<\/h2>\n<p>In mid-2018, IKEA introduced a furniture take-back service at its Tempe store in Sydney, where customers could recycle their unwanted furniture and be rewarded for being more sustainable. The take-back service enabled customers to exchange their used items for IKEA vouchers. They first have to complete a form and include pictures of the furniture in question, after which the application is evaluated. The used furniture is then sold in a bid to <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.richardvanhooijdonk.com\/en\/reverse-logistics-flipping-the-script-on-retails-biggest-headache\/\">extend the IKEA furniture lifecycle<\/a>, instead of just having these items end up in landfills. Customers will be able to buy perfectly good pre-loved furniture at a fraction of the original price - and even be able to get their hands on some of IKEA\u2019s classic pieces that are no longer in production. The pilot proved successful: after roughly 1,600 pieces of furniture were returned and resold in Tempe, IKEA rolled the buy-back service out to all its Australian stores in October 2019.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_2459\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2459\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-2459 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.richardvanhooijdonk.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2019\/05\/ikea-furniture-1.jpg\" alt=\"An IKEA retail store and its parking lot on a sunny day\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-2459\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">In 2018, IKEA introduced a furniture take-back service at its Tempe store in Sydney, where customers could recycle their unwanted furniture and be rewarded for being more sustainable.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2>It\u2019s been awarded for incorporating circular principles<\/h2>\n<p>In January 2018, at the annual World Economic Forum meeting in Davos, Switzerland, IKEA won the Accenture Strategy Award for Circular Economy (Multinational) at The Circulars, recognising the Swedish firm for incorporating circular principles in its design and operations, increasing re-useability and reducing environmental impact. Peter van der Poel, the managing director of range and supply at the Inter IKEA Group, says, \u201cTransforming IKEA into a \u2018circular\u2019 business is one of our biggest ambitions and challenges for the future\u201d. He adds that \u201cIt\u2019s about smarter use of resources and from the very beginning designing products so they can be repurposed, repaired, reused, resold or recycled in any other way. It requires an innovative mindset, working together with many stakeholders. We are only at the beginning. This prize is inspiring and indicates that we are on the right track.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><iframe title=\"The Circulars 2018 - IKEA, Winner (Multinational Category)\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Pht6eqv49SQ?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h2>Will recommerce overtake traditional e-commerce?<\/h2>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.richardvanhooijdonk.com\/en\/the-rise-and-rise-of-recommerce-a-marriage-of-sustainability-and-e-commerce\/\">recommerce trend<\/a> - when customers become sellers, unlocking the value of their belongings - has been around for a number of years, but it continues to grow due to greater awareness about sustainability and consumers and manufacturers alike showing more willingness to explore alternatives that are better for humanity and the world. Pretty much everything can be \u2018recommerced\u2019, with individuals as well as companies selling pre-owned furniture, clothing, accessories, books, CDs, and luxury items like smartphones, tablets, computers, cameras, and TVs. eBay is probably the most well-known example of recommerce, but more and more companies - such as IKEA - are jumping onto the recommerce bandwagon.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_2461\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2461\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-2461 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.richardvanhooijdonk.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2019\/05\/recommerce-trend.jpg\" alt=\"Two warehouses with second-hand clothing and books arranged in boxes and on shelves\" width=\"800\" height=\"534\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-2461\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The recommerce trend - when customers become sellers, unlocking the value of their belongings - has been around for a number of years, but it continues to grow due to greater awareness about sustainability and consumers and manufacturers alike showing more willingness to explore alternatives that are better for humanity and the world.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Recommerce not only benefits the environment by eliminating waste otherwise generated by the production of a new item, it also benefits the customer who can take advantage of unique, hard to find, or out-of-production items at reduced prices. In 2018, the recommerce trend was growing quickly. One reason for this is that social barriers to buying used goods are becoming lower as making a difference and doing something for the planet becomes more important. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.trendwatching.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Trendwatching.com<\/a> first described recommerce in a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.trendwatching.com\/trends\/recommerce\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">2011 trend briefing<\/a>, noting that it has never been easier for consumers to unlock the value in past purchases.<\/p>\n<h2>New business models - from linear to circular<\/h2>\n<p>At an Edie Live exhibition on achieving a sustainable future, IKEA UK\u2019s sustainability manager, Hege S\u00e6bj\u00f8rnsen, indicated that building a circular economy into IKEA\u2019s business model will be fundamental to its ability to grow, remain relevant with customers, and survive long-term in the \u2018peak stuff\u2019 era. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.edie.net\/how-the-circular-economy-is-fuelling-sustainable-growth-at-ikea\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">According<\/a> to S\u00e6bj\u00f8rnsen, \u201cA linear system is one that has made us the largest furniture retailer in the world with 175,000 employees [in 2018], so we have inevitably been asked why we would want to change it. We want to be around for another 75 years and given the sheer scale of our business, wanting to not be reliant on virgin materials and to have a net positive effect is core to the business going forward.\u201d All products sold at IKEA will be designed around \u2018democratic design\u2019 principles - principles that are founded in circular values.<\/p>\n<p class=\"rvh-zie\" style=\"font-size:14px !important;line-height:1.5 !important;color:#7a8799 !important;margin-top:-8px !important\">\u2192 Keynote: <a href=\"https:\/\/richardvanhooijdonk.com\/en\/keynote-trends-2040\" style=\"color:#7a8799 !important;text-decoration:underline;text-underline-offset:3px\">Trends 2040<\/a><\/p>\n<h2>This represents an absolute systemic challenge<\/h2>\n<p>IKEA\u2019s overall restructuring efforts are the beginning of a total transformation of the company\u2019s business model. It\u2019s shifting to sustainability and circularity because it\u2019s critical to the company\u2019s ability to grow and crucial to its future relevance and survival. As S\u00e6bj\u00f8rnsen <a href=\"https:\/\/www.edie.net\/how-the-circular-economy-is-fuelling-sustainable-growth-at-ikea\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">says<\/a>, \u201cWe have a very ambitious commercial growth agenda, so when we look at the resources that we rely on, the responsibility we feel is absolutely enormous. That said, [becoming circular] is not purely an economic decision - we see the need to do this to remain relevant to customers over time and to serve their specific needs. This is not something that any company, even one as large as IKEA, can do alone; it is an absolute systemic challenge and opportunity,\u201d she adds. \u201cWhen you focus on reuse and recycling, you suddenly have a unique opportunity as a retailer to work with consumers, local councils and other companies\u201d.<\/p>\n<p class=\"rvh-zie\" style=\"font-size:14px !important;line-height:1.5 !important;color:#7a8799 !important;margin-top:-8px !important\">\u2192 <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.richardvanhooijdonk.com\/en\/the-future-of-retail-10-examples\/\" style=\"color:#7a8799 !important;text-decoration:underline;text-underline-offset:3px\">The future of retail: 10 examples<\/a><\/p>\n<p>The recommerce and circularity trend continues to grow due to consumers and industry showing more willingness to explore alternatives that are better for humanity and the world. Not only is this development inevitable and the right thing to do, but adoption is increasingly important for companies that want to stay relevant to customers.<\/p>\n<h2>Update 2026: where IKEA stands now<\/h2>\n<p>The buy-back idea that started in Tempe has gone global. In financial year 2025, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ingka.com\/newsroom\/ingka-group-scales-buyback-by-39-achieves-60-zero-emission-home-deliveries-and-95-renewable-electricity-sourcing\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Ingka Group<\/a>, IKEA\u2019s largest retailer, sourced nearly 686,500 used IKEA products through its Buyback service, up 39 percent from 495,000 in FY24. Its 424 stores now have \u2018As-is\u2019 areas for second-hand items, and a peer-to-peer marketplace for used IKEA furniture has launched in Norway, Portugal and Spain. On the 2018 commitments, 60.1 percent of Ingka\u2019s home deliveries were zero-emission in FY25 (41.1 percent in FY24), and 94.8 percent of its operations were matched with renewable electricity. These figures cover the Ingka Group only, not all IKEA retailers.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>IKEA shows how a retailer can make the circular economy pay: it buys back used furniture, resells it and designs products to be repaired, reused or recycled. The idea scaled fast. In financial year 2025, IKEA retailer Ingka Group sourced almost 686,500 used products through Buyback, up 39%. Updated 6 October 2026: dates clarified (the [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":51374,"parent":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_coblocks_attr":"","_coblocks_dimensions":"","_coblocks_responsive_height":"","_coblocks_accordion_ie_support":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2882],"tags":[4589,4563,4218,4588],"article-type":[],"trends":[5495],"class_list":["post-58072","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-retail","tag-business-en-2","tag-e-commerce-en-2","tag-future","tag-trends-en-2","trends-sustainability"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.richardvanhooijdonk.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/58072","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.richardvanhooijdonk.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.richardvanhooijdonk.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.richardvanhooijdonk.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/11"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.richardvanhooijdonk.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=58072"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/blog.richardvanhooijdonk.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/58072\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":82939,"href":"https:\/\/blog.richardvanhooijdonk.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/58072\/revisions\/82939"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.richardvanhooijdonk.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/51374"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.richardvanhooijdonk.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=58072"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.richardvanhooijdonk.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=58072"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.richardvanhooijdonk.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=58072"},{"taxonomy":"article-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.richardvanhooijdonk.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/article-type?post=58072"},{"taxonomy":"trends","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.richardvanhooijdonk.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/trends?post=58072"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}