IKEA launches service to buy back used furniture

Bargain Corners to become Circular Hubs

IKEA’s Buy Back service has officially launched in Ireland today as part of its commitment to becoming fully circular and climate positive by 2030.

The new and innovative service encourages customers to sell back IKEA furniture that they no longer need and, in return, receive a voucher to spend at the store for use when they need something. The furniture will be resold by the retailer within their Circular Hubs (previously Bargain Corner), at even more affordable prices, thereby giving a second life to IKEA products, helping to prevent perfectly useable materials from entering landfill unnecessarily.

Used products returned as good as new with no scratches will be bought for 50% of the original price, whilst items with minor scratches will be bought for 40%. Furniture that is well used with several scratches will be bought for 30%. For example, customers could receive up to €300 for the MÖRBYLÅNGA table and €275 for the STOCKHOLM table.

The service is the latest in a succession of initiatives from the Swedish retailer to help make sustainable living more accessible and affordable; encouraging customers to rethink their consumption habits and take positive action to help our planet.

How it Works

Products eligible for Buy Back include dressers, office drawer cabinets, small structures with drawers, display storage and sideboards, bookcases and shelf units, small tables, multimedia furniture, cabinets, dining tables and desks, chairs and stools without upholstery, chests of drawers and children's products (excluding baby items) purchased in the last seven years.

Customers wanting to sell back their old IKEA furniture can visit IKEA.ie and submit items for consideration by filling out a simple online offer request. The tool will automatically generate a preliminary offer and customers will then be invited to bring the fully assembled product and provisional quote to the Returns & Exchanges desk at the Ballymun store. Once the product is accepted, they will then receive an IKEA refund card to spend in-store. The refund card will have no expiry date to encourage customers to only purchase new items when they really need something.

Peter Jelkeby, Country Retail Manager and Chief Sustainability Officer, IKEA UK & Ireland, said: “Households are connected to around 60% of global greenhouse gas emissions, consuming around a third of the energy and 10% of the water used globally. Therefore, small actions taken within them can make a significant difference, and why IKEA is so committed to making sustainable living more affordable, attractive and accessible. As one of the biggest brands in the world, we recognise our unique opportunity to help lead that change.

“Through Buy Back we hope to make circular consumption mainstream; making it easier for customers to acquire, care for and pass on products in circular ways.

“As we move towards our goal of becoming fully circular and climate positive by 2030 we will continue to take bold steps ensuring that, by then, all IKEA products will be made from renewable, recyclable and/or recycled materials; and they will be designed to be re-used, refurbished, re-manufactured or recycled, following circular design principles.”

To recognise IKEA’s on-going investment in promoting sustainable living, IKEA’s Dublin store was recently awarded the Green Retailer Award at the 2021 Green Awards which recognises the extraordinary contribution and commitment that companies now make towards growing a greener future in Irish business today.