Adevinta ASA: Second hand trade has big environmental impact according to Adevinta study
20.7 million tonnes of CO2 emissions potentially saved by online consumers
London and Oslo, 14 April 2021: 20.7 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions were potentially saved by consumers who chose to buy and sell used items through ten online marketplaces operated by Adevinta and Schibsted, according to the Second Hand Effect 2020 report (SHE), published today. By offering users platforms where they can buy and sell, online marketplaces reduce the need for newly produced goods and promote more sustainable consumption. This key concept is what Adevinta and Schibsted call the Second Hand Effect. The report, the methodology for which was developed in close collaboration with IVL, the Swedish Environmental Research Institute and sustainability consultancy Ethos International, is in its eighth iteration since launching in 2013. It looks at how much CO2 and materials (plastic, steel and aluminium) have potentially been saved through second-hand trade on participating marketplaces. The calculations are based on the idea that keeping a second-hand item in use means avoiding the production of a new item and disposal of the old one, which translates into savings of CO2 emissions and amount of plastic, aluminium and steel. These purchases and sales saved: