Second hand must become the new normal

Erikshjälpen Second Hand's "Vanliga veckan" occurs just before the big shopping weekend of the year, Black Friday. "Vanliga veckan" means a week with extended opening hours, but otherwise as a regular week in the second-hand chain's stores.

- We don't need to offer discounted goods to be competitive and we don't need to pretend to be sustainable. We are sustainable in our everyday lives and feel secure and proud of the business we run - 365 days a year," says Cathrine Kylesten.

At this time, retailers are shouting out their discounts while, at the other end, they are being met with various sustainability claims to improve their image. Every year, new sales records are broken, while the effects of the climate crisis are increasingly felt. Legislation, global agreements and climate reports speak volumes - yet Corporate continue to produce, and people continue to consume, new products.

- It is time to change our view of what is a normal way of consuming. For example, how can it be that sleeping in a hotel bed is considered cozy, but at the same time you can't imagine buying sheets second hand? says Cathrine Kylesten.

In the deep recession, Black Friday is being promoted as a kind of 'consumer charity' - an opportunity to shop affordably when money is tight. Instead, the concept encourages people to buy more than they planned, things that are not needed but still cost the planet in terms of raw materials, water, chemicals, energy and toxic emissions.

- More consumers want to shop sustainably and circularly, not continue to drive global warming through their purchasing behavior, says Cathrine Kylesten. "We want to influence the norm so that second hand is seen as something for everyone and want more people to open their eyes to our sustainable everyday life.

Please read Erikshjälpen's debate article on the subject published in Göteborgs-Posten.

What is 'uncool' is not buying second-hand but the rush to buy new.