Gen Z and Millennials are the primary drivers, with roughly 70% of secondhand spending expected to come from these groups by 2029.
While marketed as a waste-reduction strategy, recent research in Scientific Reports suggests a "sustainability bias". Consumers who shop secondhand often dispose of clothes faster and actually buy more new items, supplementing rather than replacing primary market consumption. a store that buys used clothes
Academic and industry analysis identifies two primary ways these stores operate: Gen Z and Millennials are the primary drivers,