IKEA secondhand furniture expands with new US offering

IKEA is ramping up its secondhand furniture offering in the US, adding more than 700 new product lines to its Buy Back & Resell programme. The IKE A secondhand furniture initiative, which allows customers to trade in unwanted furniture for store credit, now covers over 2,800 products and is available at dozens of US locations.

Originally piloted at a single store, the programme’s rapid expansion signals a broader commitment to circularity – a key element of the IKEA sustainability strategy. As businesses worldwide look to reduce waste and improve resource efficiency, this move further cements IKEA’s reputation as a leader in retail innovation and business sustainability strategies.

From pilot project to circular retail model

The IKEA secondhand furniture programme has grown significantly since its initial launch. This scheme enables IKEA Family and IKEA Business Network customers to receive a quote for eligible secondhand items online, return them for in-store assessment, and receive credit if accepted. Items are then repaired where necessary and sold at a reduced price in the store’s ‘as-is’ section (with most items reselling within 72 hours).

Last year alone, IKEA US collected over 14,700 items through the programme, helping to extend product lifecycles and reduce landfill waste, a key aspect of the IKEA sustainability 2030 vision. By offering services such as spare parts (eg: hinges and screws), IKEA is also tackling unnecessary product disposal at the source, reinforcing the brand’s commitment to repairability and reuse.

Aligning action with global sustainability ambitions

This latest US expansion closely follows IKEA’s launch of a similar secondhand buy-back scheme in Poland, the first of its kind in that market. Customers in Poland can choose between store credit or direct payment, while also benefiting from an incentive on future purchases.

At a global level, IKEA has pledged that 100 percent of its products will be designed to be reusable, repairable, resold, or recyclable by 2030. It is also working to eliminate single-use plastic packaging entirely. These goals, as outlined in the IKEA sustainability report, demonstrate a systemic shift in how the retailer views its environmental footprint, moving from product sales to circular services.

This model reflects a growing consumer demand for value-aligned brands and reinforces IKEA’s role in scaling up IKEA sustainability initiatives that are both commercially viable and environmentally effective.

Looking ahead: circularity as a competitive advantage

IKEA’s commitment to circularity presents a blueprint for other large retailers, particularly in sectors such as furniture and home goods, where waste volumes are high and resale potential is strong. By building operational systems that support IKEA secondhand furniture, the company is proving that sustainability can scale without sacrificing customer value or convenience.

As more organisations look to embed ESG into their operations, initiatives like this highlight the growing need for sustainability training for employees, especially those involved in supply chain, product development, and customer service functions. For businesses looking to follow suit, investing in sustainability courses online or tailored corporate sustainability training can be a critical first step in building the internal capability needed to support lasting change.